HYDRONICS FOR PLUMBING ENGINEERS

Variable-Speed Pumps? Of Course!

Roy C.E. Ahlgren This minimum flow often is stated as a It wasnt that long ago that varipercentage of the pumps flow at best able-speed drives were pretty ineffiefficiency. A hydronic system that uses cient and a real maintenance chaltwo-way valves to provide for partlenge. Nevertheless, if your energy load operation may have many hours costs were high and you could save of operation at less-than-design flow, a lot of money by operating a bigincluding some hours at less-than-minpump motor, you would swallow imum flow. For a constant-speed hard and install that cranky old mepump, the only way to protect the chanical drive. Then came the applipump during these hours was through cation of power electronics and the the use of large minimum-flow bypassdevelopment of adjustable frequency es or three-way valve-controlled coils drives. Suddenly, variable speed bethat would compensate came a lot more efficient for reduced flow through and reliable and, because the two-way valves by alof these improvements, a Energy savings lowing increased flow lot more common. Of and operatingthrough the bypass pipes. course, you also had to cost reductions If the bypass was not inbuy controllers, sensors, stalled or operated as and a lot of other equipare only the planned, the constantment to make the system beginning. speed pump could be work right, so even these deadheaded at full-motor improved drives were fearpm, subject to large shaft sible only for larger and bearing loads. A properly conpumps and motors. trolled variable-speed pump slows Today, drives and controllers are down at part load, so the minimum being combined in smaller, lessflow requirement is greatly reduced, as expensive packages that make their is the required bypass-volume flow. If energy-saving potential available even the bypass fails, the variable-speed in small pumps and systems. Its not pump still is deadheaded, but at a unusual to see the drive and conlower speed at which the damaging troller mounted directly on the pump effect is greatly reduced. motor, so you dont even have to worry about finding space to install Variable Speed Reduces Wear on them in the equipment room. For certhe System Valves tain kinds of building service applicaA constant-speed pump rides the tions, you may not even need to incurve, as the systems two-way valves stall a sensor in the piping system! close to reduce the pump flow. DeKnowledgeable designers have been creased flow through the piping netquick to recognize the energy-saving work reduces piping head loss subpotential of these tools, so variable stantially, in effect shifting an increasspeed is no longer an unusual appliing percentage of the pump head from cation. But important as they are, enthe piping to the control valve and its ergy savings and operating-cost reducactuator. In constant-speed applications are only the beginning. tions, the valve actuators must be con-

Variable Speed Reduces Wear on the Motor

The variable-speed control system provides a soft start, ramping motor speed from zero to final required rpm at some rate that can usually be programmed into the controller. Wear and tear is saved by reducing the initial in-rush current at the motor that would occur if the motor had been started across the line. Most of the time, the system is providing less than full flow at less than full-motor horsepower, so the motor is carrying less current and therefore developing less heat. This system serves to lengthen the life of the motor by allowing it to run cooler. There is another side to this issue. The drive provides a synthetic power waveform that has been shown to shorten motor life by promoting arcing in the windings and early insulation failure. Some cases of bearing damage due to stray voltages in the shaft also have been seen. These adverse effects can often be minimized or prevented by implementing the following precautions: Use motors that are approved by their manufacturer for use with adjustable-frequency drives. Keep the lead length between the drive output and the motor terminals short. Lengths of less than 200 ft rarely cause motor problems. Choose a drive-carrier frequency that provides a good compromise between motor effects and audible noise.

Variable Speed Reduces Wear on the Pump

Pump manufacturers require there to be some minimum flow through the pump to prevent excess shaft deflection, high bearing loads, and overheating.

structed to handle this worst-case situation. In variable-speed systems, the differential pressure across the control valve often is used as the signal to adjust pump speed, so that the valve differential remains constant at all flows.

Roy Ahlgren is director of the ITT Bell & Gossett Little Red Schoolhouse (8200 N. Austin Avenue, Morton Grove, IL 60053). His e-mail address is roy_ahlgren@fluids.ittind.com.

52 Plumbing Systems & Design Jul/Aug 2003