Saving Pump Energy the Smart Way

Tag: variable vane pump

The list of ways in which we can reduce energy usage is a big issue for today’s US government policy makers. The Department of Energy (DOE) has been allocated a $9.8 billion budget for 2008, but it has already spent hundreds of millions of dollars in the last two decades for programs that were intended to make electric motors more efficient, often with limited success. Based on DOE studies, 25% of all the electricity generated in the US powers electric motors, and for industrial plants alone, the number is about 70%. In view of this, industrial users must look at their plant operations and strategically replace older equipment with newer, more energy-efficient systems.

Government Intelligence
To help reach this goal, President Bush has signed legislation that mandates the use of energy-efficient motors and control systems and allows accelerated depreciation for companies that take advantage of other methods to reduce energy costs in their operations. For example, many utilities provide $15/hp in cash incentives to purchase high-efficiency motors because it costs less than adding plant capacity to the US electrical grid. The utilities benefit further by selling more capacity to consumers at $0.15/kWh and less to the industrial users who pay only $0.08/kWh.

Also, the DOE offers a cooperative program that allocates 50% of the cost to conduct a detailed energy audit of a plant or building. This is a definite savings because plant operations and building owners can measure the energy usage and record data concerning their facility that can help them find the best opportunities for return on investment (ROI). And these opportunities include more than just purchasing energy-efficient motors.

Motor efficiency
Manufacturers have gotten just about as much efficiency as they can ever expect to see out of a motor by using the latest materials for stator laminations, improved rotor bars, tighter manufacturing tolerances, and denser copper fill. Small electric motors are typically 80 to 85% efficient, and larger, high-efficiency and premium motors can reach 96 to 98%. Trying to squeeze the last 1 or 2% of efficiency out of a motor is just not possible.