In that time, WEG has supplied Boulting
with over 100 motors, rated from 55 kW
up to 900 kW. Many of these have been
from the W22 range, which covers frame
sizes from IEC 63 to 355A/B and can deliver
between 0.12 and 500 kW; offering high
levels of productivity and reliability in an
industry that requires minimal downtime.
For more specialist applications, the W22
range can supplied with increased levels
of ingress protection, up to IP66, as well as
being specified for operation in potentially
explosive atmospheres.
For this particular project, WEG supplied
three W50 IE4 super premium efficiency
motors as the most efficient solution for
the pump drives.
Operating at 96.9% efficiency, they can
play a key role in significantly reducing
energy costs at water pumping facilities.
At the same time, the robust, reliable
design also helps to reduce operational
costs, minimise downtime and drive up
operational reliability.
Improved pump station performance
With new pump impellers, gearboxes,
drives and the WEG motors – all being
900 kW motors with IP55 protection – the
facility has been upgraded from its existing
400 megalitres per day capacity to 750
megalitres per day, with an efficiency
increase from 80% to 86%. Suction lift
capacity has also been increased from
3.6m to 3.9m. Control of the plant is
facilitated by new Boulting-designed
pump system operation (PSOp) software,
implemented on a SCADA system and
local PLCs.
The PSOp software continuously monitors
and optimises pump speed to achieve the
required performance and greatest energy
efficiency, running the number of pumps
that are required at any given time and at
the optimum speed. The control software
has improved operation of the plant
significantly. For example, in conjunction
with some mechanical modifications,
the priming time has been reduced from
a stately four hours to a significantly
swifter five minutes. At the same time, the
capability for remote operation means
there is no longer the requirement to start
up the system and operate the facility
on site, eliminating a number of time
consuming operations.
Innovative solution
With its improved efficiency and reliability,
Littleton pumping station has been
transformed into one of the most modern
and innovative in the UK. At the same time,
Boulting Pump Management was keen to
address the aesthetics of the project, so
that as much of the original character of
the facility as possible was retained. This
approach and the resulting improvements
led to the company being awarded the
Pump Centre Project of the Year award
2015.
Boulting was able to complete
the upgrade in almost half the
anticipated time scale, delivering
what Thames Water had expected
to be a two year upgrade in just 13
months.
Most importantly, thanks to Boulting's
innovative design and WEG's energy
efficient motors, the upgrade has delivered
on all of the performance objectives,
driving energy savings in excess of 4.9
million kilowatt hours with associated
cost savings in the order of £½ million,
which will go towards the next round of
refurbishment projects.
A global major in the
power distribution,
automation and
control sectors, WEG
has just celebrated
its 50th birthday.
www.weg.net