1.

Assessing Pumping System Needs

Assessing Pumping System Needs

There are three principal points in the life cycle of
a system that present opportunities to improve
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During initial system design and pump

selection

During troubleshooting to solve a system

problem

During a system capacity change.

XAnalyzing System Requirements

A key to improving system performance and
reliability is to fully understand system requirements (peak demand, average demand, and the
variability of demand) with respect to time of
day and time of year. It is much simpler to design
and operate systems with relatively consistent
requirements than to have to account for wide
variations in demand.
Problems with oversized pumps often develop
because the system is designed for peak loads,
while normal operating loads are much smaller.
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In addition to increasing operating costs, this
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components such as valves, piping, and piping
supports.
Often, system operators do not realize the impact
of running a system at higher-than-necessary
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lineups are set to meet the worst-case demand
for example, a cooling system might be aligned to
handle the largest heat load but is not readjusted
during periods of lower demand.
The operating cost and reliability of many systems
can be improved by recognizing the variability of
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requirements more closely to system needs.
Appendix B describes the Pumping System
Assessment Tool (PSAT), a software tool that
helps determine how well an existing pump is

Related Tip Sheet

A summary of the key issues in this fact sheet
is available in an ITP BestPractices Tip Sheet
titled Conduct an In-Plant Pumping System
Survey. Tip sheets can be found in Appendix
C, accessed on the Web at www.eere.energy.
gov/industry/bestpractices, or obtained by
contacting the EERE Information Center at
877-337-3463.

matched to its system. This tool provides guidelines, a checklist, and data collection sheets to
assist system operators in identifying and prioritizing opportunities for reducing energy use in
pumping systems.

XInitial Pump Selection

Pump selection starts with a basic knowledge of
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pressures, temperatures, and system layout. These
conditions determine the type of pump that is
required to meet certain service needs. There are
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essentially the same operating principles as
centrifugal pumps.
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squeezing it in a collapsing volume, such as by a
piston in a cylinder. Centrifugal and axial pumps
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conversion of this kinetic energy to potential
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positive displacement and centrifugal pumps
serve different applications.
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high-head applications and with high-viscosity
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13
A Sourcebook for Industry