As facilities seek lower energy usages, pump systems optimization ultimately comes up. The big drain to efficiency is that companies focus on the purchase price of a system rather than the life-cycle cost. On average the initial purchase of a system accounts for only 17% of the total costs, with 55% attributed to operation of the system. The inefficiencies of a system can lead to shortened life-span of pumps due to shaft wear and seal leaks. A pump should only run 15% outside of its best efficiency point at most to avoid these issues.
Proper assessment is required to discern the weaknesses in a pumping system before optimization can begin. Some items to look for in this assessment are;
- Throttled flow-control valves
- Recirculation flow regulation
- On/off pump cycling
- Pumping system without gauges to measure flow rate or pressure
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It is essential to have air- release valves when designing a system piping. As air pockets accumulate in a system, the air -release valves will vent the pockets. According to an article by Hydraulic Institute, “If the pipeline is fairly flat and the inside surface of the pipe is very rough, or if the pipeline slopes downward, the fluid velocity may not be sufficient to keep the bubbles moving”. This can cause pockets of air to form at the high points and will begin to effect the liquid flow areas.