Parallel Pump Plant Energy Optimization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pumping plants with multiple pumps connected in parallel face challenges in optimizing operating parameters to minimize electrical power consumption, especially when dealing with varying mass flow demands.
Innovation Solution
A method is developed to determine a set of optimal operating parameters by analyzing various scenarios of pump operation, optimizing rotational speeds, and selecting the combination of pumps that minimizes electrical power consumption while meeting technical restrictions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple pumps are operated in parallel to meet varying mass flow demands, then the pumping plant can handle a broader range of flow requirements and provide redundancy, but the complexity of optimizing operating parameters increases and energy efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the pump system into multiple independently controllable pumps operating in parallel. Each pump can be individually optimized or taken offline, allowing the system to adapt to varying flow demands by activating only the necessary number of pumps, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic optimization of operating parameters including rotational speeds of individual pumps. The system continuously adjusts pump speeds and operational configurations based on real-time flow demands, enabling adaptive energy efficiency across different operating conditions rather than relying on fixed-speed operation.
2Use of energy by moving object
If the number of running pumps is reduced to lower power consumption, then energy efficiency improves, but the ability to meet high flow demands and provide redundancy deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by operating only the necessary number of pumps required to meet current flow demands, rather than running all pumps continuously. This partial operation reduces energy consumption while the system maintains the capability to activate additional pumps if needed, preserving redundancy without the penalty of continuous full-system operation.
3Productivity
If rotational speeds of pumps are increased to meet high flow demands, then productivity improves, but electrical power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes rotational speeds as a key operating parameter to balance productivity and energy consumption. By dynamically adjusting rotational speeds to match actual flow demands rather than operating at constant high speeds, the system achieves required productivity levels while minimizing electrical power consumption through parameter optimization.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method (100) for determining a set of optimal operating parameters O for a pumping plant (1), the method comprising: • determining (110), from a set (3) of parallel pumps (3a-3c), a set of K possible scenarios S1-K, wherein each scenario indicates, for each pump (3a-3c) in the set (3), whether the pump (3a-3c) is running or not running; • optimizing (120), for each scenario S1-K, a set of operating parameters O; • determining (150), from the set of scenarios S1-K, the scenario S* with the lowest power consumption Pmin,S1*; and • determining (160) the sought optimal operating parameters O to be: running the pumps (3a-3c) that are to be run according to the scenario S* at the operating parameters Oopt,S* found for the scenario S*, and not running the pumps (3a-3c) that are not to be run according to the scenario S*. A method (200) for operating the pumping plant (1).