Month: February 2014

Flooding Pumps Explained

The types of pump needed to deal with flood water or any type of standing water due to rising river levels have to be powerful, sturdy and able to deal with very dirty liquids. Often, these flood water pumps have to be relied on to operate continuously for an extended time, usually when the householder or other property owner is unable to be present.

flooding pumps

Lowara DOC pumps are designed to work in sumps and to pump clean water with suspended particles of up to 5mm diameter. They have a motor with a thermal overload protection so that they can be left to operate continuously when the householders are not present. The Grundfos APB series of pumps have powerful impellers that are capable of moving sewage and waste water that contain suspended solids of up to 50mm in diameter. These are suitable for heavy duty domestic use.

People living in frequently flooded areas should consider buying a pump as a permanent installation and one that can be operative for a number of years. Pumps for emergency use should be portable but with a high flow rate and pressure. It is also important to remember that a reliable power sources should be available away from a flooded area. This can be petrol or diesel powered generator or powered by mains electricity.

Basements and cellars in many homes can remain damp for extended periods of time following rises in groundwater as well as heavy rainfall or a due to a river bursting its banks. This problem may be dealt with by smaller submersible pumps such as the Grundfos AP series. These can be portable and temporary as well as used in permanent installations. The pumps can be single phase or three phase pumps and are designed to cope with suspended solids of different sizes in the water.

Grundfos ALPHA2; Best Choice for Efficiency

Appha2

Grundfos’ Alpha2 has enjoyed great success in a recent test by TUV Sud, a major technology consultant based in Germany. The product took first place in an energy efficiency test, making it the best choice for systems that want to save on energy for either cost or environmental reasons.

The test compared a wide selection of the most popular and frequently used circulators for systems on the scale of a one or two-family home. The Alpha2 was revealed to have the lowest level of energy consumption compared to all competitor products tested.

Frank Wiehmeier, Director of Domestic Sales at the Grundfos‘ German arm, said that the fact that one of the company’s products had come out top in a test from such a renowned institute was “a confirmation of our development work.”

Wiehmeier went on to say that the responsible use of energy is among the company’s “core values” and is treated as a priority while developing new products. He also said that the model tested was designed to “set a new standard” by including every energy-saving measure that is reasonably possible given the current state of technology. The test from TUV Sud, claims Wiehmeier, is proof that their efforts were successful.

There are a number of innovative features that have been used in this model of pump which go some way towards explaining its strong performance in energy efficiency tests. Among these is AUTOADAPT, an advanced control system which saves significant amounts of energy. It does this by looking at the pattern of energy consumption within a system, and then uses this data to make the pump run only when it is needed. The rest of the time, it will automatically remain inactive and save energy. The pump also benefits from optimised hydraulics and motor design – the result of the energy-conscious product development that Wiehmeier spoke of.

Controlling your Pump with the Grundfos Go App

The Grundfos Go app is a useful tool to have when it comes to controlling pumps. It is available for both Android and iOS and offers an extensive set of tools for controlling pumps remotely and while on the go.

The app is constantly online and connected, giving you access to pump functions as well as to documentation and a range of online tools for tasks such as sizing. It allows you to wirelessly connect with and control a range of Grundfos pumps quite easily through the graphical interface.

It is, of course, extremely useful to be able to control pumps remotely without your physical presence. You don’t need to rush in or call somebody else when you need to take control. However, what really sets this app apart as a pump control app is the extensive range of supporting features.

As well as allowing you to remotely take control of pumps, it also allows you to monitor them very effectively. It has a live data feed containing an extensive range of useful information, such as alarm logs and performance information. It also allows you to export data and generate reports, helping you to keep on top of how things are going with your pump systems.

The app also allows you to monitor pump performance and change parameters when you like. If a pump develops a problem, you will have access to diagnostic tools and troubleshooting information. This is an extremely useful feature, as it not only lets you control pumps remotely, but also helps you to do so in a completely informed way.

If your use of these diagnostic and troubleshooting tools leads you to conclude that a pump needs replacing entirely, the app also includes features to help with this. You can browse the entire Grundfos catalogue within the app and find replacements for pumps by entering the model number. All in all, the Grundfos Go app is one of the most complete and useful pump control toolkits on the market.

Did you know that pumps consume over 10% of all energy demand?

From showers to irrigation, wastewater disposal to offshore oil production, pumps are an essential part of everyday modern life. They are also an energy-hungry part of modern life consuming over 10 percent of all energy demand, a major cost during times of high consumer energy prices.

In Europe, one fifth of all the power used in driving motors actually powers pumps of various kinds, according to pump manufacturer Grundfos.

The secret to saving power is to switch to an energy efficient pump. Start the day taking a shower powered by a Stuart Turner pump which provides a cost effective way of boosting water supply to a bath or shower or combination of the two.

Pumps can waste energy in great quantities, especially when left idle for some time and used in emergencies such as clearing out a flooded cellar. At the moment, many householders are overwhelmed by the task of shifting unwanted water and don’t consider the amount of electricity a pump is using.

Many domestic heating pumps are run at top speed, without paying enough attention to how the pump works. Often a lower speed will achieve the same pumping result. Indeed, a pump motor only needs to run at its top speed for a maximum of 5 percent of the time it is in use.

The chemical industry needs to use robust and reliable pumps for transferring aggressive liquids as well as pumping more benign liquids like water. A recent survey in Germany indicated that a chemical company has on average 1.25 pumps installed on its premises for every employee. Flowtec chemical pumps offer an energy efficient solution.

Meanwhile, switching to pumps with efficient motors could save householders up to 60 percent in pump energy costs. Lowara Pumps offer an energy efficient solution to clearing out residential wastewater and can be used in some industrial premises.

Of course, there are upfront costs involved in switching to another pump type. But a householder or company can recoup this investment within one to five years depending on the type of pump.