Energy Reduction Through Fluid Flow Analysis

1
Energy Reduction Through Fluid Flow Analysis
Optimization
Flowserve Energy Summit October 17th,
2005 Dallas, Texas
Trey Walters, P.E. President and Chief Technology
Officer
2
The Pump Footprint on National Energy Generation

• According to US Department of Energy reports,
  pumps consume almost 20 of the electrical energy
  in the United States
• In some industrial facilities pumps consume up to
  50 of the electrical energy

3
Pumps Are Components in Systems

• All pumps function as part of a piping system
• Energy efficiency improvements focused solely on
  pumps is misguided
• Efficiency improvements must focus on the pump
  system

4
Recent Study at Leading Chemical Company

• The company evaluated internal practices and
  those at two of its major engineering contractors
  on recent projects
• The goal was to identify frequency of correctly
  sized pumps as part of a six-sigma project

5
Methods Used in Industry to Select Pumps

• Use Same As Last Time

• Hand Calculation

• Spreadsheet

• Pump System Computer Modeling

6
What is Pump System Computer Modeling?

• Pump system computer modeling is the application
  of well-accepted principles of fluid mechanics to
  the calculation of flow through pump and piping
  systems
• Mathematical models are used to simulate the
  fluid flow

7
How Can Pump System Computer Modeling Help?

• For new system designs, pump system modeling
  helps engineers properly size their pumps and
  thereby reduce energy usage
• Pumps can be matched to systems
• Ensure pumps operate near their best efficiency
  point
• For existing systems, pump system modeling helps
  engineers understand potential pump and system
  modifications to achieve improved energy
  efficiency

8
Acceptance of Pump System Computer Modeling

• With 20 of our electrical energy used by pumps,
  one would think that pump system computer
  modeling would be widely accepted in industry
  but it is not
• While CAD companies have a combined revenue in
  the billions of dollars, there are only a handful
  of US companies that provide pump system modeling
  software
• Sales are a fraction of CAD sales
• Industry has not yet grasped the value of pump
  system computer modeling
• It is considered an optional activity

9
Opportunities in Existing Systems

• There are many more existing systems than new
  systems built each year
• Because of their sheer numbers, the potential for
  energy reduction in existing systems is enormous
• However, in most cases engineers cannot change
  the piping to effect energy reduction
• This reduces the opportunity for energy reduction
  in specific systems
• Most changes are focused on improved control
  methods or operations

10
Opportunities in New Systems

• In new systems, the piping can be treated as a
  design variable and changed usually for no
  additional cost
• The opportunities on new systems exceed those on
  existing systems by at least a factor of ten
• When the piping can be changed and optimized, the
  number of variables available to the designer is
  astronomical
• New methods and tools are needed to identify the
  opportunities

11
What is Pump System Optimization?

• On existing system engineers can optimize the
  system using techniques such as
• Variable speed drives
• Better matching pump and system
• Pump replacement
• Impeller trim
• Operational changes
• On new systems, automated optimization search
  tools are now available to sift through the
  unwieldy number of variables

12
Optimizing New Systems
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Optimization Example

• Find systems with minimum initial cost and life
  cycle cost
• Note there are over 40 quadrillion design
  possibilities for this system

14
Finding the Pump "Sweet Spot"

• Optimization can identify the pump Sweet Spot
• This is the pump operating point which, when
  combined with the optimized piping system, yields
  the absolute lowest cost

This is the 10 year life cycle case
Run time was 6 seconds
Energy reduced by 20
Results published in Chemical Processing in 2002
15
Industry Experience With Pump System Optimization

• Application on four systems at a leading chemical
  company showed
• Initial cost reduction averaged 10 and up to 17
• Life Cycle Cost reduction over 5 years averaged
  50 and up to 70
• Results presented at 2002 International Pump
  Users Symposium

16
What Should Be Done?

• Owner/Operators must be made to understand the
  energy impact of pumping systems
• They need to seriously consider life cycle cost
  principles when awarding contracts
• Pump systems engineers need to be educated on the
  energy impact of improperly sized pumps
• Industry needs to grasp the value of pump system
  computer modelingand optimization
• Same principles apply to fan and compressor
  system modeling
• The national initiative Pump Systems Matter
  seeks to address these issues
• Your company should consider joining PSM