Scientific Bulletin of the The 6th International Conference on

Politehnica University of Timisoara Hydraulic Machinery and Hydrodynamics

Transactions on Mechanics Special issue Timisoara, Romania, October 21 - 22, 2004

THE REHABILITATION OF THE PUMPING STATIONS

Gheorghiţă PANDELEA, Dr. Eng. *

Chief of Design Department 1
AVERSA SA Bucuresti, Romania
Gheorghe VERTAN, Dr. Eng. Ludovic FURCA, Eng.
ITC - ELINF Timisoara Energetic Adviser
Romania SC BEGA UPSOM SA, Ocna Mures,Romania
Dorel FRÂNC, Eng. Alexandru TEGLAS, Eng.
Mechano – Energetics Director, Chief of Mechano – Energetics Department
SC BEGA UPSOM SA, Ocna Mures,Romania SC BEGA UPSOM SA, Ocna Mures,Romania
*Corresponding author: Street Izbiceni 177, Bucuresti, Romania
Tel.: 0724463578, Fax: (+40) 212520769, Email: aversa-proiectare@rdslink.ro

SUMMARY
In this paper is described how to make efficient a
pumping station, endowed with 12 NDS and 18 NDS
pumps, manufactured before 1990, and upgraded by
S.C. AVERSA SA in 2003 - 2004. Such upgrading is
also provided in water supply for specific problems.
In Romania, unlike in the European Union - EU, the
water registration for the users started later, when the
specific consumption became to high. In the future the
water registration shall been extended in the whole
country. Where the water registration was introduced,
it offered an incentive to the users to save the water
step by step, and in some years the specific consump-
tion decreased to normal. There also was a decrease
of the flow Q and of the pumping head H, and all the
pumps chose for high H values before the registration,
are not corresponding any more.
It seems that this matter is not available in EU,
where long time ago the water was registered, the
users saved the water, the specific consumption have
been kept low all the time and the H values didn't
decrease, meaning a corresponding of the pumps to
the requirements.
The problem appears everywhere the specific con-
sumption is to high before the registration that is in
the most cases of Romanian towns, but not only.
1. INTRODUCTION
The energy obtained by pollution and too expensive
must be saved.
In each technical process, including pumping, it can
and has to be saved on two ways:
• By the restriction of the process to the essential
(rationalizing, quantitative way);
• By maximizing the efficiency of the process
(optimizing, qualitative way);
The efficiency of the pumping stations, which waste
much energy, must increase.
The Soda Products Works of Ocna Mures - BEGA
UPSOM has many pumping stations, operating 24
hours / day (for the cooling water, hydraulic transport,
and brine), lot of pumps with rated powers of hundreds
of kW.
The pumping of the cooling water was optimized
by pumps type 12 NDS of 160 kW and 18 NDS of
400 kW and 500 kW, installed at UPSOM before
1990 and upgraded by S.C. AVERSA SA Bucharest
in 2003 - 2004.
The upgrading of the existent pumps mainly con-
sisting of:
• Recovery of the operational clearances.
• The replacement of the impellers by new variants,
re-design by improved hydraulic [1].
• Re-using of the rehabilitated housings and the
improvement of the inner part of the housing
roughness (hydraulic channel) by Ceramitech
coating [2].

241
 Taking into account the real operating conditions of Table 1. Operating characteristics of a 12 NDS worn
the station, the upgrading is followed up by: pump (n= 1480 rpm).
• To eliminate, in all duties, the operating parameters Q H η Pa
with high-energy consumption by means of the No
(m3/h) (m) (%) (kW)
discharge valves.
1 973.6 44.8 64.3 184.3
• The increasing of the pumps efficiency (over 87.6 %
2 868.8 48.2 64.5 176.7
at 12 NDS [3] and 91 % at 18 NDS [4]).
3 789.9 50.4 64.5 168.2
• Using of driving motors at efficiency and cos F at
4 710.8 52.2 64 157.8
maximum values by loading them near to the rated
power. 5 594.7 54.8 59.5 149.3
6 508.5 56.5 56.1 139.9
The high efficiencies obtained in this case are demon-
7 393.1 57.5 47.7 129.5
strating that the upgrading of the existent NDS pumps
can be lucrative also in many other cases, for example Table 2. Operating characteristics of an upgraded 12
in the water supply. NDS pump ( n= 1480 rpm ).
Q H η Pa
2. ACTUAL RESULTS No
(m3/h) (m) (%) (kW)
The pumping station B of BEGA UPSOM is assuring 1 1287.3 31.7 75.1 148.1
24 h / day cooling water (plus other consumers but 2 1210.4 36 81.1 146.4
with lower flows) up to the upgrading it was equipped
3 1107.2 40.5 84.9 143.8
with:
4 950.7 46.2 87.4 137
• one pump 12 NDS driven at 1480 rpm by an asyn- 5 796.9 51.5 87.6 127.6
chronous motor of 160 kW, 400 V.
6 652.2 55.6 83.3 120
• three pumps 18 NDS driven at 980 rpm by asyn- 7 529.7 58.7 79.2 104.2
chronous motors of 500 kW, 6 kV.
• two pumps 18 NDS driven at 980 rpm by asyn- Table 3. Operating characteristics of a 18 NDS worn
chronous motors of 400 kW, 6 kV. pump ( n= 980 rpm ).

The pumps are pumping decanted water, discharg- Q H η Pa

No
ing in a collector from whom the water is distributed (m3/h) (m) (%) ( kW)
through three pipes to the own CET and to other 1 3050.8 24.3 41.1 491.5
departments. Obvious, during the year, according to 2 2822.4 44.9 71.9 480.9
the environment temperature, the necessary cooling 3 2718.6 48.4 75.6 473.9
water flow changes (in summer being double towards 4 2454.0 53.4 78.3 456.8
the winter time). 5 2012.8 58.1 76.1 418.5
The upgraded pumps have been tested in S.C. 6 1507.3 61.8 69.2 366.3
AVERSA SA stands, before and after upgrading in 7 682.2 64.0 42.6 279.3
order to obtain the characteristic operation curves.
In the tables 1 - 4 there are specified the flow Table 4. Operating characteristics of an upgraded 18
values - Q, pumping heads - H, efficiency - h and NDS pump ( n= 980 rpm ).
absorbed powers - Pa of the 12 NDS and 18 NDS Q H η Pa
pumps, deter-mined before and after the upgrading. No
(m3/h) (m) (%) ( kW)
For the upgraded pump 18 NDS the curve Q-H
1 2978.1 33.4 72.1 375.6
is shown in Figure 1 and the efficiency curve in
2 2875.3 38.0 79.8 373.4
Figure 2.
The low efficiencies of the pumps stated before 3 2728.7 42.7 86.6 366.3
upgrading, can be explained by the degradation of 4 2409.0 51.1 91.3 359.3
some areas of the hydraulic channel of the impel- 5 1971.6 58.6 89.8 350.1
ler and housing, by increasing of the clearances 6 1516.4 64.3 84.9 313.1
and by the appearance of some mechanical de- 7 1046.4 67 72.4 264.2
faults, such as: bearings damage, wear rings and 8 596.6 68.5 51.8 215.4
wear sleeves.

242
 88 % as the pump has at maximum diameter to assure
operating of the pump and motor in the area of the
maximum efficiencies, respectively cos F optimum.
We mention that, by increasing the pumps 18 NDS
efficiency, the absorbed power at the shaft at these
pumps decreased so that it allowed the replacement
of the 500 kW motor by a 400 kW motor, efficiently
loaded. (high values for the motor efficiency and cos
F).

3. THE EFFICIENCY OF THE PUMPING

FOR THE WATER SUPPLY
Fig. 1. Curve H = f(Q), n=980 rpm of the NDS 500 – 3.1. Calculus relations
450 – 700 (18 NDS) pump, upgraded for UPSOM.
The average speed of the liquid through a pipe is directly
proportional with the flow Q and inversely proportional
with the area A cross section.
v 1 = c1 × Q A (1)
c1 = constant (according to the measuring units).
The hydraulic losses Hr are directly proportional with
the square of the speed v, or with square of the flow.
Hr = c2 × v 2
(2)
c2 =constant (according to the measuring units).
H3 = c2 × Q 2
(2’)
c2 = constant (according to the measuring unit).
Fig. 2. Efficiency curve h = f (Q), n= 980 rpm of The pumping head H required for a water supply
the NDS 500 – 450 – 700 (18 NDS) upgraded pump station is compound of pumping head H0 (e.q. the
for UPSOM. 4th floor – at higher pumping head the water is
re-pumped by house water supply plant) and of the
Obviously, the upgrading included also the repairing losses Hr in the pipes.
of these defaults which appeared during the years of H = Ho + Hr (3)
operation. Besides these repairing, the upgrading
assured a better hydraulic obtained by: The absorbed power, according to the density of the
• Performing of some re–designed impellers with pumped liquid ρ, to the gravity g, to the pumping head
superior efficiency: H, to the flow Q and to the efficiency h, is obtained
• Improvement of the inner part of the housing rough- by the relation:
ness (hydraulic channel) by Ceramitech coating. P = p×g×H×Q η (4)
We mention that, the upgrading had also an aspect The energy E is proportional with the absorbed
of retrofitting that is adapting the pump unit parameters power P and with the operating time t.
to the actual requirements of the pumping station. So,
besides the requirement to operate at high efficiencies E = P×t (5)
at the necessary H values in the station, without partial Taking into account that power P is various in time,
closing of the discharge valves, there was also imposed the precise relation is:
an efficient loading of the driving motors. Following
this, and not adjusting the operational parameters with E = ∫ Pdt (5’)
discharge valves, using efficiently the available power
of the existent motor of 160 kW at the 12 NDS pump, 3.2. A new specific problem
it was necessary the impeller turning. It was obtained
so a lower efficiency of 87.7 % instead of more than

243
 Up to 1999, unlike the West Europe, in Romania
and not only, the water registration of the individual
users, was not performed.
Therefore unconscious and involuntary, it was
encouraged the water waste. The water consume was
not rationalized.
Following this, the specific consumption increased,
reaching up to 300 – 400 l / man per day towards the
normal European values of 90 – 150 l / man per day.
The high specific consumption gives high flows Q
through the pipes.
According to relation (1) high flows Q gives high
speeds v of the water in the pipes.
According to relation (2) high speeds v, gives high
hydraulic losses Hr.
According to relation (3) the high hydraulic losses
Hr, gives high pumping heads H.
According to relation (4) high flows Q and high pump-
ing heads H, requires high powers of the pumps.
According to the relations (5) and (5’) the high powers
P, requires in time high energy E.
In West Europe, the water consumption is registered
for decades. Means that from long time ago the users
were interested to save water, consuming only what
is necessary. Therefore in the EU, long time ago the
specific consumption of water is low.
Following this, the flows Q and the pumping heads
H are variable, but only for short period of time (hours,
daily, from one season to another).
From one year to another, in EU the flows Q and the
pumping heads H required for the pumping stations
for the water supply are practically modified only if
the number of users is modified.
Only in 1995 Romania started with organizing the
registration of the water consumption in five cities.
Next will be a general recording all over the country.
In the Romanian cities, were the water registration
was performed, the consumers were drawn in to save
water. Before recording the water consumption in cities
the specific consumes were high. After the recording,
the specific consumption decreased step by step in
some years up to normal European values.
This decrease also reduced the energy consumption,
but it raised a new technical problem it seems to be
unprecedented.
Once with the water consumption decrease, the flow
Q goes down, the water speeds v goes down and also
the hydraulic losses Hr and the pumping heads H.
For instance, in a city the value from H = 58 m in
1996 now is H = 20 – 25 m, after registration.
The matter consists in the fact that, after the
registration the H values are step by step decreasing,
244
but much. Pumps operate for other H values, usually
with discharge valves closed, wasting a lot of energy.
The issue appears everywhere, where the specific
water consumption was very high before registration.
So this matter appeared or should appear in the mostly
cities of Romania and may be also in other countries.
Evidently this problem concerns all the cities where it
appeared or should appear, but also the suppliers of
solutions and equipment.
3.3. Solutions for this problem
3.3.1. At low decreases of H values, the pump impeller
diameters are getting smaller. So the necessity of the
partial closing of the discharge valves is eliminated,
but there appear other disadvantages:
• The pump efficiency is slowly decreasing.
• The pumps must be dismounted and re – mounted,
remaking the alignment of the shafts.
• If the H values continue to decrease, the discharge
valves have to be closed.
The solution is limited to small H decreases.
3.3.2. The pumps are repeated retrofitted by re-
designing the hydraulic part to be correspond to
the new conditions Q, H, other then those provided
by the initial design. The efficiency of the pumps
may decrease a little.
3.3.3. The driving motors are replaced by others
with lower powers and speeds according to the new
decreased H values.
Being of great advantage, in all cases it must be
calculated if this solution is possible.
3.3.4. The pump speed is decreased by using gearbox
and by the replacement of the planet wheels.
The replacing of the wheels means the dismounting
and re–mounting of the gearbox, and the alignment of
the shafts. There are few cases of pumps with reduction
gears but in all this cases must be taken into account
this solution.
In such cases it may be also lucrative the replacing of
the driving motors of the pumps by others with lower
powers (in order to leave an optimum motor loading,
operating at high efficiency and high cos F).
3.3.5. On pumps being directly driven by electric
motors, between the pumps and motors there are
mounted mechanic speed reducers (which have very
high efficiencies, ~ 99 %).
By means of the reducers, the pump speed is reduced
(repeatable) at the necessary values, which are corre-
sponding, to the decreased H values. In such cases it
may be also lucrative to replace de driving motors of
the pumps by others of lower powers (in order to have
an optimum motor loading, operating by high effi-
ciency and cos F) and with higher speeds (in order
to have as small as possible motors).
The solution needs also the modification of the
foundation.
3.3.6. The pumps are replaced by others corresponding
with the values Q, H after registration.
We underline that, if the pumps will be replace,
according to the records for the individual consume
of water and if this specific consume is high, it is a
risk to use even better pumps. In this case is unavoidable
the decreasing of the values Q and mostly H is not
according to the registration.
Such a case can be mentioned, where it was simul-
taneous projected the pump replacement and the reg-
istration [8].
At the pumps selection there have been taken into
account the values Q, H resulted by measurements
before registration.
The project of the pumps replacement was approved
by a prestigious company from West Europe (where
the registration was performed long time ago and did
not decrease the specific consume, but keep them low).
The result of this uninspired selection was that, imme-
diately after putting into operation, the pumps had to
pump with the discharge valves more closed, till a new
investment. The required H values in the network
decreased considerable as a result of the registration.
This damaging experience must not be repeated.
3.3.7 Converting the supply current of the driving
motors must decrease the pump speed.
At a pumping station, pumping in parallel in the
some network it may be efficient to adjust the speed
at one or maximum two pumps. It is not efficient to
adjust the speed of all pumps, being expensive and
in this case, the global efficiency of each pumping
group is affected by the converter efficiency and of the
possible transformers.
3.3.8. There are new solutions [6], [7] that can
replace the groups built up of a motor a gearbox
and a pump, operating at constant speeds, but easily
changeable.
Unlike the replaced groups, these modifications do
not need dismounting of machines and alignments of
the shafts.
Further, these solutions have the following advantages:
• Assure high global efficiencies on large operating
fields.
• Easily adapting to the modified values Q, H of the
initial project.
• Sometimes, the existent motor and / or pump can
be reused (but upgraded)
4. CONCLUSIONS
By upgrading at S.C. AVERSA SA of some existent
pumps installed before 1990 it was succeed in:
• Rising the efficiency of these pumps at international
level (over 91 % at 18 NDS).
• Adaptation individually of the pumps at the concrete
requirements of the pumping station performing also
an optimum loading of the driving motors. It was
obtained a perfect synergy between the operational
parameters of the pump of the motor and of the
pumping installation.
• In general, using this upgrading of the existent pumps
can also obtained in the water supply, global effi-
ciencies bigger than those obtained by some per-
formed investments and the costs of these upgrading
shall be in many cases smaller than the cost of the
already performed investments.
• In the water supply of the cities before the water
registration of the individual users was performed,
the specific consumes have been very high, after
registration they are decreasing. So, the required
values Q and H are decreasing, making the pumps
unsuitable for the high values before registration.
This matter did not appear in the countries where
the registration was performed long time ago, but it
appeared or shall appear after some time, in mostly
of the Romania cities and not only.
In this work there have been analyzed also the
solutions of this new appeared matter.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. PANDELEA Gheorghiţă, Contributions to the
improvement of the operational performances of
the aggregates from the pumping stations; written
paper for the doctor's degree, Bucharest, October
2003
2. Ceramitech, Performance testing of pump coatings
an end suction centrifugal pump of unit speed,
National Engineering Laboratory, Glasgow – UK,
June 1997
3. AVERSA S.A Bucharest, Hydraulic Energetic Test
Sheet of the NDS 350-300-460 pump for Ocna
Mures, 27 Nov. 2003
4. AVERSA S.A Bucharest, Hydraulic Energetic Test
Sheet of the NDS 500-450-700 pump for
Ocna Mures, 8 May 2004
245
5. The Government Ruling no. 15 / 1995, published in
the Official Gazette, part I, no. 168 from 1.08.1995
6. OSIM Dossier:A00572-2003 Pumping - results and technical possibilities - the
7. OSIM Dossier: A00981-2003 3rd lecture of the Hydraulic Energetic Specialists,
8. VERTAN Gheorghe, MATEI Gheorghe, PAN- Politehnica University of Bucuresti, 28 - 29 May
DELEA Gheorghită, FURCA Ludovic., GÂRDAN 2004
Dumitru, BOITOŞ M. R. The Efficiency of the

246