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We are living in dangerous times, no I’m not talking about hostilities with other countries I’m referring to making the wrong decisions when specifying new equipment or system upgrades.  Failure to consider all options could be a fatal mistake, for example, sticking with the old tried and true specifications your company has been using for the last 50 years.  You know what I’m talking about, the typical fixed speed oversized pump coupled to an oversized motor with a 1.15 service factor bolted to oversized piping (future capacity).  Yes I sound like a broken record I’ve already mentioned this in previous blogs.   It’s worth repeating we need to dispense with the status quo.

Now let me throw out a new catch phrase “OPSOP” other wise know as “Optimum Pumping System Operating Point”.  This term was developed and coined by a well respected member of the Hydraulic Institute.  What is “OPSOP”?  Simply stated it is the pump operating point, which when combined with the optimized pumping system yields the absolute lowest cost.  Did I get your attention?  Lowest cost!!!

On a new pumping system you have three variables that affect the system initial and recurring cost:

Pump

•         Operating points have costs by choosing different pumps the pump curve can be adjusted.  The pump efficiency and BEP also adjust.  The pump curve can also be changed by changing the impeller size or (fixed) speed.

Control and Operations

•         The pump curve can be adjusted using variable speed control.  The system curve can be adjusted (to a limited degree0 by decreasing pressure drop across high pressure drop components

System

•         The system curve can be adjusted by using different pipe sizes, layout,  pipe material, and components

For existing system cost reduction, opportunities are typically focused on the first two.  Changes to the system are typically not cost effective.  Opportunities typically reside in changing the pump curve i.e. repair pump, impeller size change, controls (VFD) or a new pump.

Doesn’t this make more sense then following the same inefficient methodology that has been in place for the last century?  It’s time to step out of the “box” there are better ways to design new and upgrade existing pumping systems.  Your companies’ bottom line depends on cost effective, energy efficient systems the status quo is not the solution.

For more information on System Optimization and “OPSOP” go to www.pumps.org and purchase “Optimizing Pumping Systems a Guide for Improved Energy Efficiency, Reliability and Profitability”.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 15th, 2008 at 7:48 am and is filed under William Livoti Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.