Pumping systems account for about 20 percent of the energy electric motors use, and
improvements such as a pump with integrated controls, as shown, represent a huge
opportunity for savings. Photo courtesy of
Armstrong Pumps Inc., Buffalo, N. Y.
By Brent Ross
Fluid PUMPING systems—
low-hanging fruit
for energy savings
Whole-systems approach, rather than
components approach, saves most
Pumping systems consume roughly 20 percent of the total electrical energy motors use in the U.S and
worldwide, and 25 to 50 percent in certain industrial facilities. Clearly, pumping systems eat up a significant amount
of electrical energy.
One could argue that upgrading the
motor or variable-speed drive (VSD)
alone would be sufficient, because
these components represent the greatest opportunity for energy savings in a
pumping system. Indeed, many established incentive programs today focus
on component efficiency.
However, taking a component, rather
than a whole-system, approach often
saves far less energy than anticipat-
ed. Upgrading components individually
saves up to just 28.7 percent:
•;Motor– 4.7%
•;Drive– 20;%
•;Pump–4%
•;Total;savings–28.7%
A typical component approach starts
with;the;motor.;The;average;motor;effi-ciency today is 89.5 percent, and there
is;an;opportunity;to;gain;4. 7;percent;by
switching;to;a;high-efficiency;motor;( 4. 7
percentage points is the average efficiency gain for motors from the DOE’s
1998;pre-Energy;Policy;Act;(Epact);to
the current NEMA standard [ 12-12],
known;as;NEMA;Premium®).
Pump;efficiency;improvements;since
1998;have;been;minimal,;about;4;per-
cent. A more efficient pump system
alone could save energy by improving
the pump operation—from the average
74 percent efficiency to 78 percent,
which is a fairly aggressive efficiency
gain.
