Energy Efficient Pump Selection

Some pumps are selected according to technical and commercial specifications that do not sufficiently take into account life cycle costs (LCC) over the pump’s expected lifetime. As a result, energy consumption is often one of the major cost components and may dominate the LCC, especially if pumps run more than 2,000 hours per year. A 1 kW power difference at the pump’s projected duty point can consume more than €7,000 worth of electricity over a 10-year operating life at 8 cent/kWh.

Pumps already installed

When pumps are already installed, you need to consider separate data showing the performance of each pump system over the output range. Performance can be measured in terms of the overall efficiency of the pump or the energy used by the system at the different output levels. Two important power requirements should be evaluated most carefully: the power consumption at the pump’s intended duty point (rated) and at its intended maximum flow rate. When pumps with high power consumption fail, many plant managers send them out to be repaired, although repairing a pump will not solve the problem of energy wastage. The solution is to adopt a pump management policy that gives clear guidelines on when to purchase new pumps with minimal power requirements. As a rule, pumps with long running hours and those with larger motor sizes should be replaced. Pumps that run only occasionally and those with smaller motor sizes can be repaired. In case of doubt, asking your preferred pump supplier for a quote indicating the above-mentioned power consumption at your duty point will help you find out how much your company could save on energy costs. Sometimes, replacement of a fully functional pump can even be justified on energy grounds alone.

Selecting new CP pumps

Competent selection of new pumps to minimise energy consumption is one of the keys to reducing pump life cycle costs (LCC). Choosing sealless magnetic drive pumps over pumps with mechanical seals not only offers significant safety advantages; they often consume less energy as well, especially when fitted with non-metallic shrouds that eliminate eddy current losses. Your CP partner will advise you on a wide variety of different pump models and casing, shroud and bearing materials to best fit your system requirements – and give you maximum safety and energy efficiency.

Carefully selected CP pumps will reduce your energy costs. This is why CP offers you individually tailored advice to find exactly the right solution for all your pump needs – free of charge around the globe.

Learn more about how CP can help you save energy.