ENERGY CONSUMPTION

Major Cost Savings and Reduced Energy Bills by Installing the Correct Pumps

 Energy costs are a major issue for industry today, both in the need to improve the efficiency and profitability of our business enterprises, and in reducing the impact of business on the environment by consuming less carbon dioxide. 

In seeking to make your business more competitive, how often do you consider the major cost and energy savings you can achieve by having correctly specified pumps for your application?
Often when thinking of the costs of our pumps we think a lot about the purchase price, hire costs, or the on-going maintenance costs, spares and servicing. Yet it is a little-known fact that all this makes up only 15% of the lifetime costs of a pump. 

An astonishing 85% of the life-cycle cost of a pump is the cost of the energy consumed to keep the pump running.

Indeed it is estimated that no less than 20% of the world’s electricity is consumed powering pumping systems.

So what steps can we take to reduce our energy consumption?

• One of the best ways to reduce energy costs is to ensure your pumps are correctly sized for the application. It is estimated that up to 30% of installed rotating pumps are bigger than they need to be. Lower energy costs are a direct result of matching the correct pump to your system.
• It is important to take into account the required pressure and flow rate, plus other factors such as the temperature or viscosity of the fluid, and the length and configuration of the pipework. 
• The composition of the liquid is a major factor to consider; for example when pumping slurry, you can use a more efficient pump if the particle sizes are smaller. 
• An additional benefit of selecting the correct pump for your application, is that it is highly likely to last longer and cost less to maintain.

When replacing pumps where the original system was not optimised for energy usage, savings of 50% or more can often be achieved. To put this in perspective, we often think of replacing windows or installing thermal insulation to save energy, replacing your pump can be over five times more effective at the job!

In an increasingly competitive business environment, where governments are putting greater taxes on energy usage to meet environmental goals, it makes perfect business sense to work with a professional pump supplier to minimise your costs and maximise your efficiency.