US20170051737A1
2017-02-23
14/827,428
2015-08-17
The Multi-source Pumping Optimization is a process by which an operator at a water or wastewater facility can determine how to pump the amount of water necessary to meet demand at the lowest possible operating cost.
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It wasn't long ago that water/wastewater utilities believed that energy efficiency was simply a cost of doing business. The cost of energy was embedded into the price of the product or service and passed along to the customer. Today, however, faced with constrained revenues combined with increasing costs, managers are being forced to take a hard look at ways to either increase revenues or reduce expenses. As you can imagine, increasing rates or reducing jobs are not very popular alternatives. However, one area that can certainly help the realities of this economic outlook is the potential expense reduction in energy consumption, generally a water/wastewater facility's second highest operating expense.
Water/wastewater is an energy-intensive operation. There are in excess of 75,000 water and wastewater systems in the United States alone, estimated to consume well over 150 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) a year, approximately 12% of the total electricity consumed in the non-residential, commercial and industrial sectors. And if consumption growth is in line with overall energy projections, this will increase by 29% by 2040 (U.S. Energy Information Administration), further adding to the economic challenges water/wastewater providers face today.
The majority of water processing and distribution energy consumption is by motors and motor-driven systems related to pumping. Given that over 80% of the electricity used by water systems is from pumping, most of the energy reduction gains can be realized through operating the water pump systems more efficiently. These efficiencies are gained not only from a design and asset life-cycle management perspective, but by operating the right (most efficient available) pump(s), at the right time, for the right duration, to meet operational requirements at the least cost.
To ensure availability for a specific process, most water operations have built-in pump system redundancy to satisfy operational availability and capacity requirements. Each pump system supporting a specific pump process may be common in design purpose; however, they are typically unique due to disparate operating efficiency. Pump system efficiency can vary greatly depending on the age, design, and operation and maintenance of the system over time. Couple this with the fact that the cost to operate a pump system is dependent on time-of-use (T-O-U) and electricity rates (peak rates can vary by more than 500% from normal and off peak rates), systems availability, and varying demand, it's evident that operating multi-source pump systems for optimum performance at the least energy cost is a complex operational problem.
Optimal multi-source pump system performance at the least energy cost must factor in the pump process system design (what specific pump systems comprise what unique pump process), and each pump system's efficiency, availability, and capacity, and time-of-use energy and demand rates, demand required, and operating strategy (e.g. âpeak shavingâ, âbase loadâ, and âpeak demand avoidanceâ).
Without the requisite process intelligence, the probability of operating a pumping process at the least cost is not determinable. Access to the intelligence holds significant potential to reduce energy costs.
Patent protection is being requested for a process invention enabled by a web-based software application, (the âMotors@Work Systemâ). The process has been developed to solve the problem of optimizing the operating configuration of a multi-source pumping process. The objective of the Multi-source Pumping Optimization process is to operate the right pumps at the right time to ensure that the required demand is adequately provided by the available pumping system(s) while minimizing the operation cost (energy cost). The decision variables are the operating configuration of the pumping process, the operational time and demand delivered production units of each pump system within a given time frame, and the specific time(s) at which a pumping system operates within the given time frame. A mixed efficiency and optimization coding methodology is developed according to the characteristics of the decision variables.
The Multi-source Pumping Optimization process capability described will answer the following:
It is estimated that daily pumping process operation cost savings of approximately 10% to 25% are attainable by application of the process described within this non-provisional patent application for the Multi-source Pumping Optimization process.
FIG. 1.0âCalculating Pump System Efficiency Flow Chart FIG. 1.0 illustrates how a user selects a specific available component pump system in a pumping process, and then calculates the pump system energy profile taking into consideration the system's pump systems component specifications and readings, and then calculates the pump system energy efficiency.
FIG. 2.0âOptimizing Pump Schedule Flow Chart FIG. 2.0 illustrates a User selects a specific pumping process, selects available pump system(s) in that pumping process and then optimizes the use of the selected pump system(s), taking into consideration the T-O-U utility rates, capacity needed for a specific time period, demand charges, operating strategy (e.g. âpeak shavingâ, âbase loadâ, and âpeak demand avoidanceâ), and selected pump system(s) motor energy efficiencies and capacity.
FIG. 3.0âMinimal Nominal Efficiency Table FIG. 3.0 specifies the motor efficiency by horse power, synchronous speed, enclosure type and efficiency class.
The definitions of terms pertaining to the Detailed Description of the Invention are defined below.
Billing Cycle.
The invention, the Multi-source Pumping Optimization process, will determine an optimized pump system schedule for a pumping process. The Multi-source Pumping Optimization process will also determine the schedule's associated delivered production units (MGD), demand (kW), cost (energy consumption and peak demand), and non-conformance intelligence (i.e. projected peak demand, demand not met, and each specific pump system(s)' piping efficiency, hydraulic efficiency, demand kW, and motor load).
The Multi-source Pumping Optimization process is a two-step process. The first step (Calculating Pump System efficiency) determines the efficiency of each pump system based on the pump system's motor, piping and hydraulic efficiencies. The second step (Optimizing Pump Schedule) determines the optimized pump process schedule based on the component pump system(s) availability, efficiency, and capacity, and operating and energy management strategies, combined with the electricity T-O-U tariff and the demand requirements.
The Multi-source Pumping Optimization process being described assumes the following for the selected pump process to be optimized:
Ultimately the process will enable the user to select a pump process, select relevant pump system(s) in that pump process and then the Motors@Work System will automatically optimize cost taking into consideration the utility T-O-U rates and demand charges, and User defined constraints.
Process Description
The Pump System Efficiency Calculation (Step 1) process specifications are described below. The paragraph numbers correspond to the process step's reference numbers on Drawings: FIG. 1.0âCalculating Pump System Efficiency Flow Chart.
In order to calculate the electrical motor efficiency, some characteristics of the motor must be known. These characteristics will be available on the nameplate attached to the motor or in the motor's documentation.
Required Motor Data (nameplate):
Some data is optional. Different methods may be used to calculate the motor's operating efficiency (below) depending on which data is known/available.
Optional Motor Data:
Using a multi-meter, sub-meter, or other device for obtaining electric readings, gather the following data for each motor.
Using motor nameplate data and the energy readings taken from the motor, the System calculates motor load and efficiency.
To calculate load; if a Power Draw measurement is entered in the System and the motor Size and Full Load Efficiency are filled in the System then:
| Field | Value |
| Motor Load | Power î˘ î˘ Draw ( Size * 0.746 / ( Full î˘ î˘ Load î˘ î˘ Efficiency 100 ) ) * 100 |
| Assumptions: | |
| Power Draw is recorded as kW. | |
| Size is in HP. If Size is in kW do not multiply with 0.746). | |
| Load | âkW Ratio â Power basedâ |
| Estimation | |
| Method | |
| Field | Value |
| Motor Load | Average î˘ î˘ Voltage * Average î˘ î˘ Current * Power î˘ î˘ factor 100 * 3 1000 ( Size * 0.746 / ( Full î˘ î˘ Load î˘ î˘ Efficiency 100 ) ) * 100 |
| Assumptions: | |
| 1. Size is in HP. If Size is in kW do not multiply with | |
| 0.746). | |
| Load | âkW Ratio â Voltage basedâ |
| Estimation | |
| Method | |
| Field | Value |
| Motor Load | ( Average î˘ î˘ Current Full î˘ î˘ Load î˘ î˘ Amps ) * ( Average î˘ î˘ Volts Wired î˘ î˘ For î˘ î˘ Voltage ) * 100 |
| Assumptions: | |
| 2. All currents are in Amps. | |
| 3. All voltage is in Volts. | |
| Load Estimation | âVoltage Compensated Amps Ratioâ |
| Method | |
| Field | Value |
| Motor Load | Synchronous î˘ î˘ Speed - Measured î˘ î˘ Speed ( Synchronous î˘ î˘ Speed - Full î˘ î˘ Load î˘ î˘ Speed ) * ( Wired î˘ î˘ For î˘ î˘ Voltage Average î˘ î˘ Voltage ) ) 2 * 100 |
| Assumptions: | |
| 1. All speeds are in RPM. | |
| 2. All voltage is in Volts. | |
| Load | âVoltage Compensated Slipâ |
| Estimation | |
| Method | |
The System calculates the motor efficiency as follows:
| Field | Value | |
| Motor Efficiency | Blank | |
| Load | |||
| Motor Load | Minimum Efficiency | Maximum Efficiency | Base |
| <=25% | 0 | Efficiency at 25% | 0 |
| Load | |||
| >25% and <=50% | Efficiency at 25% | Efficiency at 50% | 25 |
| Load | Load | ||
| >50% and <=75% | Efficiency at 50% | Efficiency at 75% | 50 |
| Load | Load | ||
| >75% | Efficiency at 75% | Full load efficiency | 75 |
| Load | |||
| Field | Value | |
| Motor Efficiency | (Motor Load â Load Base) * Slope + | |
| Minimum Efficiency | ||
| Field | Value |
| Loss at 25% | Size * 0.25 * ( 1 ( Maximum î˘ î˘ Efficiency / 100 ) - 1 ) |
| Horse Power at Load | Size * Motor î˘ î˘ Load 100 |
| Note: The Size UOM is not relevant for this calculation. | |
| Conversion from HP to kW is not required. | |
| Motor Efficiency | Horse î˘ î˘ Power î˘ î˘ at î˘ î˘ Load Horse î˘ î˘ Power î˘ î˘ at î˘ î˘ Load + Loss î˘ î˘ at î˘ î˘ 25 î˘ % * 100 |
| Motor Size in HP | Rewound Correction | |
| <=40 | â0.5% | |
| >40 | 0.25% | |
| Field | Value | |
| Motor Efficiency | Motor Efficiency â Rewound Correction | |
Gather the following nameplate data for each pump and enter in the System. The Static Suction Head and Discharge Head data can be attained from drawings or estimates.
Capture the following pump operation statistics and enter in the System. The Pump Discharge Pressure can be attained from a pressure gauge, and the flow Pump Discharge Flow Rate data from a flow meter or estimate.
The System calculates the Pump System Efficiency as follows. The System calculates Pump System Efficiency performance with the gravitational constant g set at 9.80665 m/s2 as follows:
| Field | Value |
| Inlet Velocity (m/s) | Pump î˘ î˘ Discharge î˘ î˘ Flow î˘ î˘ Rate ( Ď * Pump î˘ î˘ Inlet î˘ î˘ Diameter 2 4 * 3600 ) |
| Outlet Velocity (m/s) | Pump î˘ î˘ Discharge î˘ î˘ Flow î˘ î˘ Rate ( Ď * Pump î˘ î˘ Outlet î˘ î˘ Diameter 2 4 * 3600 ) |
| Velocity Head Inlet (m of head) | Inlet î˘ î˘ Velocity 2 2 î˘ î˘ g |
| Velocity Head Outlet (m of head) | Outlet î˘ î˘ Velocity 2 2 î˘ î˘ g |
| Velocity Head | Velocity Head Outlet â Velocity Head Inlet |
| (m of head) | |
| Total Head | Static Suction Head + Pump Discharge Pressure + Velocity Head |
| (m of head) | |
| System Friction Losses | Pump Discharge Pressure â Static Discharge Head |
| (m of head) | |
| Temp Flow Density | Pump î˘ î˘ Discharge î˘ î˘ Flow î˘ î˘ Rate * Fluid î˘ î˘ Density * g 3600000 |
| Pump Discharge Power | Pump Discharge Pressure * Temp Flow Density |
| (kW) | |
| Static Suction Power (kW) | Static Suction Head * Temp Flow Density |
| Velocity Head Power (kW) | Velocity Head * Temp Flow Density |
| Pump Hydraulic Power | Pump Discharge Power + Static Suction Power + |
| Output (kW) | Velocity Head Power |
| Motor Power (kW) | Find the Motor Load of the most recent measurement for the |
| motor of the pump. Find the Size for this motor. If size specified | |
| in HP multiply by 0.746 kW/HP to convert size to kW. | |
| Motor Power = Size * Motor Load / 100 | |
| Pump Hydraulic | Pump Hydraulic Power Output / Motor Power * 100 |
| Efficiency (%) | |
| Piping Efficiency (%) | 100 - ( Pump î˘ î˘ Discharge î˘ î˘ Pressure - Static î˘ î˘ Discharge î˘ î˘ Head ) * 100 Pump î˘ î˘ Discharge î˘ î˘ Pressure |
| System Efficiency (%) | Motor Efficiency * Pump Hydraulic Efficiency * Piping |
| Efficiency / 10000 | |
| Best Achievable Piping Efficiency (%) | 100 - ( Length î˘ î˘ of î˘ î˘ Discharge î˘ î˘ Pipe - Design î˘ î˘ Friction î˘ î˘ Loss ) * 100 Pump î˘ î˘ Discharge î˘ î˘ Pressure |
| Field | Value |
| Pump Inlet Diameter | See below in Table 1; Convert Length. |
| Pump Outlet Diameter | See below in Table 1; Convert Length. |
| Pump Discharge Flow Rate | See below in Table 2; Convert Flow Rate. |
| Static Suction Head | See below in Table 1; Convert Length. |
| Static Discharge Head | See below in Table 1; Convert Length. |
| Pump Discharge Pressure | See below in Table 3; Convert Pressure. |
| Fluid Density | See below in Table 4; Convert Density. |
To convert from one UOM to another the System will:
| TABLE 2 | ||
| Convert Length | Conversion factor to Meters | |
| From Meters | 1 | |
| From Centimeters | 100 | |
| From Feet | 3.28084 | |
| From Inches | 39.37008 | |
| TABLE 3 | |
| Convert Flow Rate | Conversion factor to Cubic Meters/Hour |
| From Cubic Meters/Hour | 1 |
| From Imperial Gallons/Hour | 219.969 |
| From US Gallons/Hour | 264.172 |
| From Cubic Meters/Minute | From Cubic Meters/Hour/60 |
| From Imperial Gallons/Minute | From Imperial Gallons/Hour/60 |
| From US Gallons/Minute | From US Gallons/Hour/60 |
| TABLE 4 | ||
| Convert Pressure | Conversion factor to Meters of Head | |
| From Meters of Head | 1 | |
| From Feet of Head | 3.28084 | |
| From Bar | 0.098068059 | |
| From PSI | 1.421969428 | |
| TABLE 5 | |
| Convert Density | Conversion factor to Kilogram/Cubic Meter |
| Kilogram/Cubic Meter | 1 |
| US Pound/Cubic Feet | 16.01846337 |
The System having completed Calculating Pump System Efficiencies (Step 1) the Optimizing Pump Schedule (Step 2) process (Step 2) is now able to be performed. The Optimizing Pump Schedule process specifications are described below. The paragraph numbers correspond to the process step's reference numbers on Drawings: FIG. 2.0âOptimizing Pump Schedule Flow Chart.
Choose a pump process in the System to optimize and identify the pump system(s) that are available to participate in the pump process. Select the available pump system(s) for consideration in the System.
Determine the Utility Rate Structure that applies to the day in question including T-O-U and demand charge rates. Enter or select the Utility Rate Structure in the System.
Based on operational requirements, historical trends, or experience, estimate how much demand is required for the time period to be optimized. Enter the demand in the System.
For each selected pump the System will determine demand kW and demand charge for the day to optimize.
Next, for each selected pump system the System will determine Cost per Production UOM and Hourly Running Cost for the Day to optimize
For each selected pump system and for each day to optimize the System will now have 24 (one per hour) Cost per Production UOM, Hourly Running Cost calculated and the Pump System Hourly Pump Capacity per hour. The System then put each hour for each Pump System into a set of records and sorts these records on a Cost per Production UOM (ascending), then on Priority (ascending) of the Pump System, then on hour (ascending). This leads to the Delivery Matrix. An example Delivery Matrix is provided below.
| Cost per | Hourly | Base | |||||
| Produc- | Pump | Hourly | Load | ||||
| Pump | Rate | tion | Capac- | Running | De- | De- | |
| System | Code | Hour | UOM | ity | Cost | liver | livery |
| Pump x | Off peak | 00 | .0123 | 80 | 0.984 | ||
| Pump x | Off peak | 01 | .0123 | 80 | 0.984 | ||
| . . . | |||||||
| Pump x | Off peak | 08 | .0123 | 80 | 0.984 | ||
| Pump x | Off peak | 20 | .0123 | 80 | 0.984 | ||
| Pump x | Off peak | 21 | .0123 | 80 | 0.984 | ||
| . . . | |||||||
| Pump x | Off peak | 23 | .0123 | 80 | 0.984 | ||
| Pump y | Off peak | 00 | .09 | 120 | 10.8 | ||
| Pump y | Off peak | 01 | .09 | 120 | 10.8 | ||
| . . . | |||||||
| Pump y | Off peak | 08 | .09 | 120 | 10.8 | ||
| Pump y | Off peak | 20 | .09 | 120 | 10.8 | ||
| Pump y | Off peak | 21 | .09 | 120 | 10.8 | ||
| . . . | |||||||
| Pump y | Off peak | 23 | .09 | 120 | 10.8 | ||
| Pump x | Peak | 09 | .134 | 80 | 10.72 | ||
| Pump x | Peak | 10 | .134 | 80 | 10.72 | ||
| . . . | |||||||
| Pump x | Peak | 19 | .134 | 80 | 10.72 | ||
| Pump y | Peak | 09 | .19 | 120 | 22.8 | ||
| Pump y | Peak | 10 | .19 | 120 | 22.8 | ||
| . . . | |||||||
| Pump y | Peak | 19 | .19 | 120 | 22.8 | ||
With Daily Demand specified, Base Load and Hourly Demand not specified the System will;
With Hourly Demand specified the System will;
Operations sometimes have a minimum base load that the process must constantly deliver at a minimum. If that is the case, use the following process to identify the optimal pump configuration.
With Base Load Demand requirement
| Pump | Cost per | Capacity | |||
| System | Rate Code | Hour | Production UOM | Per Hour | Deliver |
| Pump x | Off peak | 00 | .0123 | 80 | 80 |
| Pump x | Off peak | 01 . . . | .0123 | 80 | 80 |
| Pump x | Off peak | 08 | .0123 | 80 | 80 |
| Pump x | Off peak | 20 | .0123 | 80 | 80 |
| Pump x | Off peak | 21 . . . | .0123 | 80 | 80 |
| Pump x | Off peak | 23 | .0123 | 80 | 80 |
| Pump y | Off peak | 00 | .09 | 120 | 120 |
| Pump y | Off peak | 01 | .09 | 120 | 120 |
| Pump y | Off peak | 02 | .09 | 120 | 30 |
| Pump y | Off peak | 03 . . . | .09 | 120 | |
| Pump y | Off peak | â8 | .09 | 120 | |
| Pump y | Off peak | 20 | .09 | 120 | |
| Pump y | Off peak | 21 . . . | .09 | 120 | |
| Pump y | Off peak | 23 | .09 | 120 | |
| Pump x | Peak | 09 | .134 | 80 | |
| Pump x | Peak | 10 . . . | .134 | 80 | |
| Pump x | Peak | 19 | .134 | 80 | |
| Pump y | Peak | 09 | .19 | 120 | |
| Pump y | Peak | 10 . . . | .19 | 120 | |
| Pump y | Peak | 19 | .19 | 120 | |
Now that the System Delivery Matrix is complete the system will determine Costs. For each Pump System running it is determined how much this Pump System costs and what the total for all Pump System are.
| Cost per Production | |||||
| Pump | . . . | Hour | UOM | Deliver | Cost |
| Pump x | . . . | 00 | .0123 | 80 | 0.984 |
| Pump x | . . . | 01 . . . | .0123 | 80 | 0.984 |
| . . . | |||||
At this point the System has determined a Delivery Matrix for each Day to Optimize that uses as many Pump Systems as required to minimize the Pump Process operational costs. The System will use more Pump Systems at off peak rates. More Pump Systems operating concurrently however means a higher Peak Demand which translates to higher Utility bills due to higher Peak Demand charges levied by the Utility. The System optimization process will determine if Peak Demand charges can be avoided. The System inputs required are:
The System now verifies if this step is necessary, i.e. Avoid Demand Peak (kW) is selected, and if it is starts a loop in which it tries to reduce the peak demand for each day to optimize, as follows:
| Pump | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 thru 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| Px | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | |
| Py | 120 | 120 | 30 | |||||||||||
| 13 thru | ||||||||||||||||||
| Pump | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 |
| Px | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 30 | 80 | 80 | 80 | 80 | |
| Py | ||||||||||||||||||
To use the practice of âpeak shavingâ on the results:
The Multi-source Pump System Optimization distinctly claims the following subject matter as innovation and invention specific to the multi-source Pump optimization process and configuration tool.
1. The computer enabled Multi-source Pump Optimization process determines the optimum Pumping Process operating configuration and operation of available component Pump System(s) to meet Demand requirements at the least energy cost for specified time periods, the process comprising;
determining Pumping Process Demand
determining Pumping Process component Pump System(s) capacity
determining Pumping Process component Pump System(s) energy efficiency
determining Pumping Process component Pump System(s) efficiency weighted cost/unit of production
determining Pumping Process component Pump System(s) availability
determining Pumping Process component Pump System(s) Demand provided
determining T-O-U and Demand Charge Utility Rate Tariffs
identifying the need for additional Pump System(s) capacity
identifying opportunities to reduce Peak Demand and Pump System(s) usage during T-O-U-Peak Rates