Using variable speed drives (VSDs) in pump applications

Applications

The purpose of this Application guide is to give design and project engineers and any other interested parties the basic information for selecting the correct variable speed drive ( VSD) system for pump installations in industrial, public and domestic applications.

Pumps are one of the most common variable speed drive (VSD) system applications and special interest has focused on improving their energy effi ciency by using variable speed control instead of throttling or other less effi cient fl ow control methods. Pumps are the single largest user of electricity in industry in the European Union, consuming 160 TWh per annum of electricity and accounting for 79 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

The content of this guide has been kept as practical as possible, without going into too much theoretical depth. The symbols and definitions used are explained at the end of this document.

The basic function of pumps

The purpose of pumps is to transfer liquids from a source to a destination. A common example is fi lling a high level reservoir or increasing liquid pressure. Other examples are fi lling a pressurized tank or circulating liquid around a system as a means of heat transfer.

There are two main categories of pumps:

  • Centrifugal (rotodynamic) pumps
  • Positive displacement pumps

This Application guide focuses on centrifugal pumps. These account for 80% of all industrial pumps.

Centrifugal pumps

The centrifugal pump (Figure 1.) is a mechanical device for increasing the pressure of liquid. In passing through the pump, the liquid is accelerated in the impeller, discharging into the casing at high velocity. This energy used is converted into pressure of the liquid as effectively as possible.

Title:ABB DRIVES – Using variable speed drives (VSDs) in pump applications
Format:PDF
Size:0.85MB
Pages:36
Download:Please login first

Using variable speed drives (VSDs) in pump applications


Subscribe to Monthly Download Updates

Don't miss anything!

Get EEP's updates without having to keep checking up on the portal to see if there is anything new. New FREE technical articles, electrical books, guides, software and other exclusive content you will receive via email. Pretty simple!

Powered by MailChimp

Write for EEP, become contributor | Introduce yourself to huge number of our readers


2 Comments

  1. [...] of applications, the ones that will produce the most significant benefits are those that require variable speed operation. For example, the flow rate produced by pumps serving building HVAC systems can be matched to the [...]

  2. [...] of other appliances and devices all use electric motors to convert electrical energy into useful mechanical energy. In addition to running the commonplace appliances that we use every day, electric motors are also [...]

Leave a reply!

You must be logged in to post a comment.

Tell us what you're thinking... we care about your opinion!
and oh, not to forget - if you want a picture to show with your comment, go get a free Gravatar!

Subscribe to free EEP’s updates

Subscribe to Monthly Download Updates:

(free electrical software, engineering guides and books)

Subscribe also to EE Technical Articles

Engineering Trainings

Top EEP’s Technical Writers

Technical Categories

Recommended to read and FREE download:
How To Apply Capacitors To Low Voltage Power Systems

Understanding Power Factor In most modern electrical distribution systems, the predominant loads are resistive and inductive. Resistive loads are incandescent...

User Guide for Desiccant Dehumidification Technology

Executive Summary Manufacturing industries have used desiccants in various applications for over 50 years, but have only recently begun to...

Monthly download updates – New service!

We’re happy to inform you that we started new service – monthly newsletter alert for download updates in our sections:...

Close