Making pumps smarter
1 Oct 2007
Pump makers are moving to develop a new generation of intelligent pumps that offer built-in condition monitoring and control features and facilitate ready integration with the plant control systems in process facilities. Much of this work based around FDT (Field Device Tool) technology to standardise the communication interface between field devices and plant systems.
The importance of these efforts was underlined recently by Herman van Veen, asset technical service manager at Yokogawa Electric Corp., who explained that up to 80% of industrial pumps are being operated "uncontrolled" This, he noted, was despite pumps accounting for 60% of industrial energy consumption.
Sophisticated diagnostic features are relatively new for pumps, even though pumps are often the most critical component in the plant, said Joachim Schullerer, senior manager R&D at KSB Automation.
"It is still hard to find intelligent pumps, which provide high quality diagnostic information for the asset management and can be integrated in the DCS maintenance server," commented Schullerer.
KSB is integrating more functionality such as diagnostics, level-load control and pressure control on the pump directly, rather than in the cabinet.
"Standard frequency converters or variable speed drives, from Danfoss or ABB for example, have to be mounted and connected to the pump. Then you have to align the parameters of the motor and the drive for the application and implement the software in the DCS." said the R&D manager.
In contrast, supplying detailed information on all pump characteristics with the software will deliver higher efficiency inside the pump, continued Schullerer. This supporting data, he said, will also eliminate the need to programme equipment from different vendors and integrate devices for every different project.
The importance of these efforts was underlined recently by Herman van Veen, asset technical service manager at Yokogawa Electric Corp., who explained that up to 80% of industrial pumps are being operated "uncontrolled" This, he noted, was despite pumps accounting for 60% of industrial energy consumption.
Sophisticated diagnostic features are relatively new for pumps, even though pumps are often the most critical component in the plant, said Joachim Schullerer, senior manager R&D at KSB Automation.
"It is still hard to find intelligent pumps, which provide high quality diagnostic information for the asset management and can be integrated in the DCS maintenance server," commented Schullerer.
KSB is integrating more functionality such as diagnostics, level-load control and pressure control on the pump directly, rather than in the cabinet.
"Standard frequency converters or variable speed drives, from Danfoss or ABB for example, have to be mounted and connected to the pump. Then you have to align the parameters of the motor and the drive for the application and implement the software in the DCS." said the R&D manager.
In contrast, supplying detailed information on all pump characteristics with the software will deliver higher efficiency inside the pump, continued Schullerer. This supporting data, he said, will also eliminate the need to programme equipment from different vendors and integrate devices for every different project.
