Improving the Efficiency of Distributed Water Supply Systems by Means of an Adjustable Electric Drive

Abstract

The water supply of the pumping station must meet the needs of the consumer which change during the day. Therefore, its performance needs to be adjusted. Any deviation of the pump unit’s performance from the nominal value leads to additional energy costs. Under such conditions, great importance is paid to optimising the operation of electric drives of the water supply pumping station. To regulate the performance of a pumping station, it is often resorted to changing the number of operating pumping units, the engines of which are started directly from the electrical network. Medium-and high-power engines are subject to technical restrictions for a direct start, which are supplemented by the need to maintain pauses between starts. Therefore, when ensuring the desired value of pumping station performance, it is very important to consider the features of starting pump engines. Control systems are widely used in the field of electric drive and water supply. It is in these areas that the efficiency of the control system depends on the amount of electricity that will be consumed by the technological process or the reliability of its operation. It is known that pumps account for about half of all energy produced. Therefore, the issue of effective control systems is particularly relevant in the field of water supply. The purpose of this study is to increase the reliability and efficiency of the water supply system by considering the distribution properties of the pipeline network when controlling electric pump drives, which will allow coordinating the operation of the pumping station, the pipeline network, and the consumer. To achieve this purpose, the study was conducted to assess the impact of the distribution and length of the pipeline network. The system of water supply and distribution is analysed, what criteria affect the correct performance of work and what problems may arise during operation for a long period of time are investigated. Ways to optimise the operation of pumping stations to increase their energy efficiency and cost-effectiveness of installations are investigated. The main reasons for the expediency of using an adjustable electric drive to control pumping units are considered

Keywords

• water supply
• water supply system
• electric pump station drives
• mathematical models of electric drive
• pumps