Centrifugal Pumps are Energy Guzzlers. How does Pump Energy Audit Help?

Centrifugal Pumps

A centrifugal pump can seriously raise your energy costs if you’re not keeping tabs on its efficiency levels. It is necessary that you take timely measures to eliminate inefficiencies or replace the pump altogether as the last resort. The most effective method in this regard is a thorough energy audit that can bring forth all the irregularities or issues with the pump’s performance. It can also give an estimate of energy savings if you switch to a different pump. In this blog, we talk about how an energy audit of your centrifugal pump can contribute to significant savings and cut down on costs.

Costs of Pumping

Pumping is a rather expensive affair across the world and more so in an energy-strapped developing country like India. According to some estimates, pumps consume 10% of power across the world, and switching to a more efficient water pump could save up to 4% of electricity globally. 

The main reasons behind the high costs of pumping could be an inappropriate selection of pumps, old inefficient design, improper layout, etc. By switching over to a more energy-efficient pump, you can reduce your bills, increase productivity, boost profits and enhance business competitiveness.

Centrifugal Pumps Consume a Lot of Power

Centrifugal pumps consume anywhere between 25% and 60% of a plant’s electrical motor energy. This can be made worse if the pump is improperly sized or poorly performing. Lack of maintenance and poor condition of the pumps is other reasons for the spike in running costs of a pump. This requires proper matching of a pump of the right capacity with the operation at hand. Likewise, a properly scheduled maintenance regime is a must to eliminate inefficiencies and overdrawing electricity over the lifespan of the pump.

Steps to Follow

An energy audit is the best way to keep the rising electricity costs in check. It is highly beneficial for business, society, and the environment at large. A pump energy audit is conducted by following these steps:

  1. Shortlist all the pumps for the audit
  2. Measure parameters like flow, pressure, and energy consumption
  3. Calculate the pumping efficiency
  4. Discuss the case with a specialist like an engineer or the maintenance staff
  5. Analyze data
  6. List recommendations and present them in the final report

How you can Save Energy

After an energy audit, you can get an in-depth understanding of the gaps, and the affirmative action that must be taken to fill them. With comprehensive data collection, analysis and modeling, it also gives you an idea about how much you can save by switching to a new alternative. In most industrial pumping systems, energy audits can help save up to half the energy costs!
VEMC can take care of the energy audit services of your pumps. We have all the expertise required to carry out Performance Measurement and energy optimisation of pumps and motors. Our team can provide a superior analysis of your current energy consumption and also the annual expenditure followed by a cost-returns-based proposal for different alternatives. For further information, feel free to call us at 022 43436655 or email us at marketing@vemc.co.in.

Overview of Multistage Centrifugal Pumps: Here’s All You Need to Know

Multistage centrifugal pumps have been growing in popularity in recent years. Many engineers choose them because of their flexible flow range and excellent energy efficiency.

But are they a right fit for you? Let’s find out.

What are multistage centrifugal pumps?

A multistage pump is a category of pump that contains 2 or more impellers that can be of the same or different types. The impellers can be mounted on the same or different shafts. In case the outlets require high pressure, the impellers can be connected in a series. For high flow output, they can be connected parallelly.

What is the difference between a single stage centrifugal pump and a multistage centrifugal pump? 

The primary difference between single and multistage centrifugal pumps are the number of impellers or stages present. As the name implies, single stage impellers have only one impeller whereas multistage pumps have two.

The impeller of a centrifugal pump helps pressurise and transfer the liquid. Since multistage pumps have multiple impellers, they have better pressure ranges and flow rates than single stage pumps.

Where are multistage centrifugal pumps used? 

Multistage centrifugal pumps have a wide range of applications. They can be used for delivering water to high-rise buildings, reverse osmosis (RO), boiler feeder water, high pressure cleaning, water works, fuel delivery, oil and gas production, mining and other industries where high pressure and temperature are necessary factors.

What are the different types of multistage centrifugal pumps?

There are several kinds of multistage pumps: 

  • Horizontal Multistage Centrifugal Pump
  • Vertical Multistage Centrifugal Pump
  • Submersible Pump
  • Horizontal Split Case Pump
  • Vertical Turbine Pump

What are horizontal multistage centrifugal pumps?

Horizontal multistage centrifugal pumps are those that have two or more impellers and where the liquid travels horizontally. In this case, each stage acts like a separate pump. These are ideal for services that require moderate to high Total Dynamic Head (TDH). A single horizontal shaft can house up to eight stages. 

What are vertical multistage centrifugal pumps?

Vertical pumps are not that extensively used as horizontal pumps and have limited applications. As the name implies, their orientation is vertical where the impellers are placed on top of each other. The clearances in vertical pumps are also smaller than horizontal ones which makes them suitable for clean water applications. Moreover, if there’s a floor space crunch, these pumps can fit in well too.

For more information on industrial pumps, motors, and other equipment, feel free to contact us at +91 98199 07445. We would be glad to assist you in finding the best match based on your requirements. VEMC is an authorized dealer of Kirloskar multistage centrifugal pumps and provides end-to-end project management services to its clients. We are ISO 9001:2015 certified and a pioneer in the field of electromechanical engineering products, allied equipment, and services.