Pump replacements increase energy savings

Energy savings of 50%, less downtime and cheaper maintenance followed a process water plant modernisation and pump replacement project for manufacturer of personal care products.

Achieving energy savings of at least 50% with less downtime and cheaper maintenance were the benefits achieved following a process water plant modernisation and pump replacement project, completed for Robert McBride, a manufacturer of personal care products.

The project was carried out by Process Installations at McBride's engineering department in Bradford, West Yorkshire.

The site is supplied with process water from a single bunded area in the finished goods warehouse area.

De-ionised water, ambient process water and 80C process water is pumped from three 20tonne capacity storage tanks on ring mains to the process areas.

Also, a single loop of ambient water was pumped to the ESP dilution unit in a tank farm area.

The old pumping system was operated through one large integrated control panel which meant that to carry out maintenance the whole system needed to be shut down.

John Holstead, Site Engineer, said: "Water was distributed by large, single stage two-speed centrifugal pumps rated at 8bar and our primary concern was the waste of energy because the pumps were grossly oversized to cope with the maximum demand that was only occasionally needed".

"Also, the pumps were old and becoming unreliable".

"The old system allowed no provision for standby operation and therefore had the potential to disrupt production across the whole site".

Process Installations, with sister company Pump Engineering, supplied eight energy efficient high flow centrifugal pumps which run at 4bar pressure.

These pumps have been installed in pairs to operate as a duty and standby pump for each loop which ensures that production would not be lost due to a single pump failure.

Both pumps can run together so that output increases with demand and, because all the pumps are identical, maintenance is easier and cheaper.

The pumps are controlled individually via a remote panel accessible from outside the bund area.

They also have variable speed control modulated to maintain a constant pressure in each line.

Holstead said: "We estimate that we have saved around £8000 per annum in energy costs, plus savings on lost water and maintenance".

"We particularly appreciate the variable speed drive pumps, the in-built stand-by feature of the installation and the hygienic standard achieved".

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