VEMC-Blogs

Category: Kirloskar pump distributor

Understanding Pump Efficiency and its Impact on Energy Costs

by vemcoblogs -
Pump Efficiency

When purchasing a pump, it is important to ascertain how efficiently it converts electrical energy into mechanical energy. Energy costs are rising the world over and businesses across the board need to streamline and improve their operational efficiency. VEMC is a leading Kirloskar pump distributor based in Mumbai, and in this blog, we tell you all about pump efficiency and its impact on your energy costs.

How pump efficiency measures the conversion of electrical energy into hydraulic power

Pump efficiency indicates how well a pump can convert electrical energy into hydraulic power, that is, the power delivered by the fluid that is being pumped. This can be better represented by the following equation:

η = Hydraulic Power Output

      ––––––––––––––––––––        

          Electrical Power Input

(Where η stands for pump efficiency)

Low efficiency means high energy costs

Low pump efficiency has a direct correlation with high energy costs. This is because of the following reasons:

  1. Heat loss: Low-efficiency pumps lose a significant part of their energy as heat rather than hydraulic power.
  2. Higher consumption: If the pump is less efficient, more amount of electric energy is consumed to perform the same amount of work, that is, pumping the fluid.
  3. Environmental impact: Less efficient pumps contribute to more emissions and the resulting climate change.
  4. System design alterations: Systems that use less efficient pumps may require electrical systems of a larger capacity to provide the necessary power.

Use high-efficiency pumps to reduce your energy bills

As energy costs rise sharply, users across the world are looking for energy-efficient options to switch over to. High-efficiency pumps are highly recommended to reduce your energy bills over a period of time. This is because:

  1. High-efficiency pumps reduce energy consumption.
  2. These pumps are more sustainable and have a lower impact on the environment.
  3. These pumps are typically reliable, have a longer working life, lower downtime and require less maintenance.
  4.  Many local and national governments offer incentives such as rebates on electricity bills if you install high-efficiency pumps.
  5. These pumps are made with advanced technology and thus have a greater potential for savings.

How to choose a high-efficiency pump

When buying a pump, look for High Energy Star ratings or other efficiency ratings which indicate higher levels of efficiency. Some of the globally renowned standards of efficiency are:

  1. Energy Star Certification by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  2. CEE (Consortium for Energy Efficiency) Tier Ratings
  3. EU (European Union) Energy Label
  4. ASHRAE 90.1 Standards
  5. ISO 5199
  6. Hydraulic Institute Standards
  7. Pump Efficiency Index (PEI)

When choosing a pump, look for both initial costs and the lifecycle costs. The latter especially includes the amount of energy the pump is expected to consume over its working life. For more on how to choose a high-efficiency pump, get in touch with VEMC by calling us at 022 43436655 or emailing us at marketing@vemc.co.in. We are the leading Kirloskar pump distributor based in Mumbai with over 70 years of experience in pumping.

The Impact of Viscosity on Pump Performance

by vemcoblogs -

If you’re a pump owner, you would understand that transporting thicker liquids is quite a different experience. Viscosity represents the resistance that a liquid offers to the flow. It doesn’t only take longer to displace but also impacts your pump’s performance. 

VEMC is one of the leading Kirloskar pump distributors based in Mumbai, and in this blog, we explain how viscosity affects your pump performance.

Impact of viscosity on pump parameterspasted-image.tiff

(Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/pump-performance)

As your water pump dealer may explain, viscosity has an effect on some of the most critical pumping parameters. Let’s see how.

  1. Flow rate: To put it simply, with an increase in viscosity, there is a decrease in the flow rate of a pump. However, a number of other factors such as physical properties, geometry of the tubing, temperature and the distance of liquid from the pump may also play a moderating role.
  2. Head: Viscosity has an extraordinary and negative effect on pump performance. With an increase in viscosity, there is a dramatic drop in the head.
  3. Efficiency: While pumps may still be able to displace highly viscous liquids, they will inevitably hit a point of diminishing returns due to a drop in efficiency. This means you may require a more powerful pump which will consume more energy to move a more viscous liquid.

Which pump is suitable to move your liquid type?

When selecting a pump on the basis of fluid properties, there is no one-size-fits-all. Now that it is clear that higher viscosity affects a pump’s performance negatively, let’s take a closer look at which pumps are best suited for moving your viscous liquids.

While centrifugal pumps are good enough for low viscosity liquids like water, their performance and efficiency may reduce significantly for more viscous liquids. These pumps may draw more power when transporting thicker liquids causing wastage of energy and piling up of electricity bills. For such liquids, the best pumps are positive displacement pumps such as diaphragm pumps, hose pumps, vane pumps and gear pumps. These can operate at lower speeds and at variable flow rates, delivering a constant flow of the fluid at desired speed. 

Viscosity is an important factor to consider when selecting the right pump, and also the size of instrumentation, piping, valves and filters. Appropriate selection of these items is necessary to account for friction loss due to viscosity. 

For more information on which pump is best to displace the liquid at your home or business facility, speak to our experts on 022 43436655 or email us at marketing@vemc.co.in. We at VEMC are the leading Kirloskar pump distributors based in Mumbai with a rich industry experience of over 70 years. 

Refurbishing Mechanical Pumps: A Cost-Effective Alternative to Replacement

by vemcoblogs -

Mechanical pumps, like any other equipment, are prone to damage and depreciation. This often leads to performance-related issues, drop in efficiency and even failure. These problems can compel an owner to take a decision as to whether to replace or refurbish the pump. 

VEMC is the leading Kirloskar pump distributor based in Mumbai and in this blog, we tell you why refurbishing your mechanical pump is a great alternative to replacement.

What is pump refurbishment

Refurbishment of a pump involves diagnosing a problem, designing a fix and delivering the right solution to eliminate the issue. This enables you to use the same pump for an extended period of time after proper repairs.

Why refurbish rather than replace

Refurbishment of pumps offers many benefits that replacement doesn’t:

  1. Cost savings: Often, minor issues with any of the components can cause a breakdown. Components like these can be easily repaired to restore the pump. This makes refurbishing the pump much more cost-effective as compared to replacement.
  1. Extended lifespan: Pumps are expensive pieces of equipment and owners always want to get maximum service from them. By refurbishing the pump, you can prolong its lifespan significantly ensuring more returns on investment.
  2. Improved efficiency: Refurbishing pumps addresses leaks, reduced flow and unexpected noise and helps restore their performance to peak levels. This helps improve efficiency and productivity, reduces energy costs and avoids downtime.

Process of refurbishing pumps

  • Refurbishment is done with complete overhaul of the pump, and after analyzing all the parts (bearings, gears, seals etc.), and the ones worn out are replaced with fresh ones. 
  • In case they’re not available commercially, these components are redesigned and re-manufactured. 
  • The pump is then re-assembled and final test done to check performance and efficiency. Clearly, refurbishing the pump requires a thorough know-how on the part of technicians and VEMC –– a top-notch Kirloskar pump distributor offers you just that!

Factors to consider for refurbishing/replacement

  1. Cost: For starters, the cost consideration should guide you as to whether the pump could be repaired or must be replaced. Investing in a new pump is always going to be costly, but at times, refurbishing a pump that is beyond restoration can also be heavy on your pockets, besides not giving satisfactory performance in the long run.
  1. Age of your pump: older pumps may be more susceptible to breakdown or have outdated technology. As such, finding spare parts for these pumps can be quite challenging. In such situations, it would be more practical to replace the pump with a new one.
  2. Expertise: Refurbishing a pump requires experience, expertise and know-how. Only when your maintenance team or a consultant technician have these, should you consider refurbishing the pump.

Besides having a business impact, refurbishing your pumps instead of replacing them also has  significant environmental implications, by avoiding unnecessary wastage of material, overproduction and emissions. If you need more advice on refurbishing your pumps, feel free to get in touch with VEMC by calling us on 022 43436655 or emailing us at marketing@vemc.co.in. We are the leading Kirloskar water pump dealer in Mumbai.