Variable Booster Pump System: All You Need to Know

May 31st, 2022

What happens when your water pressure isn’t enough? You may get upset when your showers or baths are intermittent. The thing is, constant water pressure is a must for the correct operation of appliances like showerheads, dishwashers, and laundry machines. This also applies to industrial and manufacturing machinery.

For many years, distributing water on a large scale has been an issue for engineers, contractors, and homeowners. In water distribution, constant water pressure is important for the comfort level of the end user. The key challenge is to improve the water pressure of a building to a certain set point. Also, maintaining it isn’t easy, especially in high-rise buildings. It takes a lot of work and is usually achieved using a variable booster pump system.

However, there is changing demand for water pressure during different times of the day. For instance, you may have low water pressure demand during night time as compared to daytime when water pressure demand is high. To avoid this, you may need a variable frequency drive with pressure gauges that are able to adjust the output and keep the water pressure constant.

Variable Booster Pump Systems

Variable frequency drives (VFDs) are electronic devices that control the speed of water pump motors. Before looking at how they work and how to use them, you need to understand the history of motor controllers. Also, you will need to know how the induction motor itself works. Nearly every pump uses motor benefits from speed control. It not only improves the process, but also saves energy.

Long before VFDs were available, pump motors were usually controlled in various ways. For example, they use a series of resistors or other motors. However, when the first power semiconductors came to inception during the 1950s, controlling armature voltage and speed became easier than ever. Still, there was a notable challenge to control the speed of the AC induction motor. This is when variable frequency drives were introduced in order to eliminate the problem.

Variable frequency drives (VFD) are designed for commercial buildings, apartment complexes, hotels, etc. They essentially add pressure to a building and maintain it during different times of the day. Most multi-story buildings require pressure booster pumps to supply adequate pressure to terminal units like showers and bathrooms. This is where a variable drive can help deliver the expected flow at the lowest suction pressure to the water booster pump.

You can even use a pressure control valve to balance the system and maintain the desired pressure in the system as the flow rate and water demand fluctuates. As water consumption changes, you will need additional pumps staged on or off. Add a VFD to pressure booster pumps instead of pressure control valves. This may save energy and eliminate maintenance costs. In fact, VFD savings can be up to 20%.

Do You Need a Variable Booster Pump System?

The answer depends on your requirement. If you want to reduce the power consumption and wear-and-tear on your Connecticut Variable Booster Pump, you will need a VFD. Without it, your booster pump will run in fixed-speed operation, which means it is either on or off. There will be no variable speed. This is great when fixed-speed pumps use a lot of electricity and the demand for the water booster pump is not at its peak. In simpler words, a VFD helps pumps use the minimum amount of energy, eliminating the extra energy cost.

Since water pump motors take a lot of abuse, the high starting current is often six to seven times the full load amperage rating of the pump motor. This is expensive and adds severe stress to your water pump. If the pump fails, it can cost you more than the downtime.

Municipalities are aware of these costs related to water booster pumps and level control failures. When pumping motors stop working, it can result in either a wastewater or storm water overflow. Also, this often brings flood conditions, property damage, and health and safety risks to the general public.

Keeping water pumps up and running efficiently is a top priority for high-rise buildings. Here, regulating the speed of your water booster pump motor with a VFD is the best decision for pump longevity and cost reduction. To use a VFD effectively, you will need a good continuous level sensor.

Ending Thoughts

So this post was all about the Variable Booster Pump System. If you are looking for branded CT Variable Booster Pumps, then we will help you get one for your building. We will also provide VFDs to make your water-boosting journey more streamlined. Have anything to ask?

Feel free to get in touch with us today.