7 minute read
PUMPING PROJECT OF THE YEAR
PUMPING PROJECT OF THE YEAR
Five companies were shortlisted in the Project of the Year category at the recent Pump Industry Awards, which recognised the most innovative pump project, installation or service, introduced onto the market within the previous 24 months. The competition was strong with the award, sponsored by Stuart Turner, going to Armstrong Fluid Technology. Flow magazine took a look at the projects that made it to the finalist stage.
ARMSTRONG FLUID TECHNOLOGY: UPGRADE FOR NATIONAL GRID
Armstrong Fluid Technology’s upgrade for the National Grid’s three-storey commercial office block in Solihull reduced pump energy consumption by more than a third, with additional benefits of rapid installation, which was carried out over a weekend, and the best lifecycle costs.
The new pumps selected for installation were Armstrong Design Envelope models that can respond instantaneously and automatically to system load, adjusting speed and drawing only the power required to meet demand. These pumps reduce costs and improve environmental performance through variable speed, demand-based operation. The performance characteristics of the replacement Armstrong pumps made it possible for legacy 7.5kW to 15kW twin headed pumps to be replaced by smaller 5.5kW to 7.5kW models with integral inverters, reducing the embedded carbon footprint for the project.
Further benefits were gained when the legacy pumps removed from the site were disassembled and the materials separated for recycling. A total of 3.5 tonnes of equipment were removed from the site, and a Certificate of Sustainable Disposal was provided to the National Grid.
Ian Shaw, Technical Energy Manager of CBRE, responsible for identifying and implementing energy savings across the National Grid estate, said: “Upgrading to new Armstrong variable speed DE pumps and Pump Manager active pump management software has not only provided us clear visibility of the performance of our systems at any time but has also delivered verifiable energy savings.”
www.armstrongfluidtechnology.com
CAMPION PUMPS: CENTER PARCS LONGFORD FOREST PROJECT
When Center Parcs opened its first resort in Ireland, Longford Forest, in August 2019, a robust water system was required to accommodate the project’s unique design features.
Campion Pumps designed, supplied and installed a solution to handle the site’s daily water requirements and support its firefighting demands. The solution was unique to any system the client had in other parks, utilising a bespoke five pump Hydrovar online booster set. This fully self-regulating booster set offered four highflow 22kW pumps and one highly efficient 7.5kW pump; all pumps were vertical multistage with IE3 motors, integrated pump controllers and pressure transducers. A network of 14 foul pumping stations was also installed around the park.
A robust water network was required to accommodate the project’s unique design features, including an indoor water park, 3,500m2 pool, a spa and wellness centre and accommodation for up to 2,500 guests during each short break.
The larger five pump Hydrovar controlled booster set with a jockey pump automatically designed into the skid provided water supply at much reduced energy costs while allowing the larger pumps to automatically engage for large volume water supply or a fire situation.
Given the remote location of this site and the forest surroundings, some special considerations were also required. Water tanks had to fill at off-peak intervals by managing inlet valves and parameters to manage the flow. The local fire chief required a dedicated key switch and a series of complex generator controls to allow increased pressure in emergencies. Plus, as the main park water supply booster set was also being used for firefighting, the skid was designed for both low flows, and large fire demand flows. The fire officer also required that park water pressure of 6 bar be reduced to 3 bar in the event of a fire, and the Hydrovar booster set had to allow both the automatic or manual operation of a fire switch.
Using Campion’s online cloud-based monitoring platform, Campion Connect with a mobile application, Center Parcs facilities management has access to an intuitive platform with customised responsive monitoring display, 3D visual display, realtime data, alarm and event notifications, detailed reporting and trends tool.
Since the opening of the village in August 2019, the water network has supported over 40 million litres of water, performed successfully in rigorous health and safety tests and emergency drills, and the Campion Connect management system has averted over 900 potential issues which may have resulted in serious downtime for the site.
campion.ie
BAKER HUGHES: N’GOMA FPSO SHORT-CYCLE PROJECT
In 2019 Baker Hughes Nuovo Pignone PVS completed the delivery of two API610 11th edition High-Pressure Pumps (Single Stage OH type - 200 m3/h - 25 bar) as booster pumps to transport produced water to a desander package on the N’Goma Floating Production Storage & Off-loading Unit (FPSO) in Angola.
The N’Goma FPSO is one of the biggest offshore units operating in the production, storage and off-loading of crude oil. This project represented a significant challenge for Baker Hughes with just a six-month project time instead of the standard lead time of 12 months.
These pumps are designed to work for at least 30 consecutive years under severe offshore operating conditions. The process fluid (seawater) with elevated chloride levels is highly corrosive and needs to be transferred continuously in the FPSO process with a high level of reliability. In addition, due to the type of offshore process and marine environment, the customer required an extremely high level of efficiency. For these reasons, the pumps were designed with innovative materials, including high-grade Super Duplex stainless steel and with a fully integrated system with the pump, electric motor and flushing systems on a single easy to install baseplate.
www.bakerhughes.com
FLOWROX DIGITAL SERVICES: MALIBU IIOT PLATFORM
The Malibu IIoT Platform developed by Flowrox is a remote monitoring solution that helps assess and catch failures of critical assets before they occur. Users of the system can connect and optimise any critical piece of equipment, all driving toward predictive maintenance, increased uptime, increased throughput and increased efficiency.
Data collected by the platform is sent to the cloud for analysis. The data can then create reports, send contextualised alarms, and predict failures.
A key advantage of the Malibu IIoT Platform is that customers don’t need to become IIoT experts themselves. Flowrox guides the system connectivity and manages the solution’s cloud aspects.
The customer gets a simple, intuitive, 3D-image based cloud platform to view the data in real time, get alarms and reports, and access static and dynamic data. Users can see a wide range of parameters based on the sensors employed, including energy usage and the manufacturer’s pump curve. More powerful analytics, such as regressions and AI, can also be used to calculate and predict the failure of wear parts, like bearings.
flowrox.com
GRUNDFOS PUMPS: GLASTONBURY FESTIVAL
For an event on the scale of Glastonbury, many aspects need to be considered, not least of which is the availability and accessibility of sufficient clean water. With this in mind, the festival’s organisers asked Grundfos Pumps to advise them in relation to the site’s water boosting and delivery requirements, to ensure that their equipment remained fit for purpose and to seek any additional opportunities to optimise their antiquated systems further.
Following a site survey, attention focussed on the control and efficiency of the booster systems, an important aspect as energy and sustainability are high on Glastonbury’s agenda. Attention then concentrated on modernising the pump and dosing systems and introducing a remote monitoring solution to streamline the water demand and delivery whilst giving full system visibility.
The Grundfos solution included upgrading the pump systems to optimise efficiency, incorporating a new precision dosing system, and a remote monitoring system that would mean a significant improvement in data exchange.
The upgrades improved the stability of the supply and significantly reduced energy demand and leakages, as proportional control significantly reduced system pressures. The new Grundfos dosing solution insured precise and accurate dosing and reduced chemical use, improving the drinking water quality.
The addition of the Grundfos Remote Management system allowed complete network accessibility 24/7, with multiplatform visible alarms advising of any immediate issues.
