Improving Pump System Performance: An Overlooked
Opportunity?
Pumping systems account for nearly 20% of the world’s electrical energy demand and range from 25-50% of the energy usage in certain industrial plant operations. Pumping systems are widespread; they provide domestic services, commercial and agricultural services, municipal water/wastewater services, and industrial services for food processing, chemical, petrochemical, pharmaceutical, and mechanical
industries. Although pumps are typically purchased as individual components, they provide a service only when operating as part of a system. The energy and materials used by a system depend on the design of the pump, the design of the installation, and the way the system is operated. These factors are interdependent.
What’s more, they must be carefully matched to each other, and remain so throughout their working lives to ensure the lowest energy and maintenance costs, equipment life, and other benefits. The initial purchase price is a small part of the life cycle cost for high usage pumps. While operating requirements may sometimes override energy cost considerations, an optimum solution is still possible.
A greater understanding of all the components that make up the total cost of ownership will provide an opportunity to dramatically reduce energy, operational, and maintenance costs. Reducing energy consumption and waste also has important environmental benefits.
Life Cycle Cost (LCC) analysis is a management tool that can help companies minimize waste and maximize energy efficiency for many types of systems, including pumping systems. This overview provides highlights from Pump Life Cycle Costs: A Guide to LCC Analysis for Pumping Systems, developed by the Hydraulic Institute and Europump to assist plant owners/operators in applying the LCC methodology to pumping systems.
