In terms of the whole life cost of a pump the capital cost the equipment is often only a small element. Over a 20 year life the capital cost, compared to the total cost of ownership, ranges on average between 5% and 10%, depending on the type of equipment selected, the installation, pump utilisation, and the maintenance and support strategy.
Elements that influence whole-life cost include
| Product Cost |
Sump Design & Installation |
Energy Cost |
Maintenance Cost |
Support Cost |
| Equipment selection |
Sump design |
Efficiency of design |
Operation strategy |
General housekeeping |
| System requirements |
Pump size & type |
Maintenance strategy - pump |
Maintenance frequency |
Sump maintenance |
| Impeller selection |
Ancillary equipment |
Maintenance strategy - station |
Equipment condition |
Ancillary equipment |
| Construction materials |
Control system |
Station design |
Accessibility of pumps |
Equipment monitoring |
| Pump type & size |
Installation type |
Pump selection |
Station maintenance |
Removal & installation |
Whole Life-Cost Considerations
Southern Pump Services are actively engaged in cost reduction programmes for many of their pumps and pump stations targeting five key areas for review
- Product Selection
- Value Analysis
- Cost Reduction
- Ongoing Process Improvements
- Ongoing Procurement Improvements
The combination of the above elements is key to ensuring an overall view is taken regarding cost reduction whilst, at the same time, maintaining quality.
Installations
The strategy for reducing the whole life costs of a pump installation involves both the manufacturers, in striving for high efficiency and reliability of the equipment, and the user, in choosing the optimum equipment for the application, together with the operation and maintenance strategy most suited to the particular installation.
Pump selection is, of course, key to providing the most efficient installation, and the selection process is now further optimised by the use of specialist pump selection software. This allows for the matching of the most efficient pump and motor combination to the required duty point.
Southern Pump Services are able to provide pumping solutions for a wide variety of applications.
Our engineers are able to assist in identifying the critical aspects of pump system design, with knowledge gained over many years and varying applications. Amongst items that we would regard as critical for consideration when designing a pumping system are;
Pumping System Components
To design a cost-effective pumping system it is not sufficient to just consider the basic head and flow requirements of the pump, as a number of other factors need to be taken into consideration;
- source of effluent within the inlet gravity system, and the nature of the liquid to be handled
- pump hydraulic design and the best suited materials of construction
- the design of the inlet to the pumping station and its location relative to the pumps
- sizing and effective volume of the pump sump and consideration of liquid depth and its effect on pump performance
- the internal shaping of the pump sump, for wet well applications, to prevent sedimentation and turbulence
- correct spacing and positioning of pumps within the wet well
- design of pump inlet pipe work for dry-well applications
- sizing and design of pump station discharge pipe work under all operating conditions
- consideration of the sizing and design of the pumping main
- effects of variable liquid levels at the final discharge point on the pump performance curve
- source of power supply, current limitations and motor starting method
- control and operating philosophy
- pump station monitoring
COST REDUCTION PROGRAMME - (Total Cost of Ownership)
To achieve any significant reduction in the total cost of ownership it is necessary to look at all aspects related to the supply and operation of pumping equipment. In many cases actions taken to reduce cost in one specific area can impact on another aspect of the pump operation, and may lead to increased costs.
To increase the potential for reducing the total cost of ownership Southern Pump Services have developed a strategy that revolves around looking at the key areas of supply, energy, maintenance and support costs. This strategy can be used as part of a process to put in place activities looking at all aspects of the total cost of ownership.
Included within this strategy are a number of programmes targeted at reducing the on-going energy and maintenance costs of running pumping equipment. These can be provided as stand-alone programmes or in conjunction with an existing maintenance service provider.
Typical elements of these programmes include:
Energy Survey
Focusing on key areas known to affect energy consumption including:
- General Pump Condition
- Pump Selection (Pump Type)
- Pump Selection (Duty point)
- Motor condition.
In many cases this will identify savings that can be made in energy consumption, and can form the background to internal justification for system refurbishments.
Energy Management Training
A programme of training on pump energy management can be made available. This can be in the form of presentations to key personnel, and would include the basics of pump selection, the importance of hydraulics maintenance and the key influences on pump, and pump station efficiency.
This programme would be seen as ongoing and can be developed to look at specific areas targeted for energy savings.
Maintenance Strategies
Equipment reliability is the result of installing the correct pump for the application and then maintaining it, and the environment within which it is installed, to a standard that allows continued operation to the original design criteria.
The costs required to maintain pumping equipment are a direct result of the maintenance and support strategy chosen, and significant savings, in repair and energy costs can be achieved by improving the general condition of pumping equipment. Although the prime motivator for this process may be to reduce energy costs, secondary benefits will include reduced failures and hence downtime.
Contracts are currently in place where Southern Pump Services, are actively involved in assisting customers in developing their energy efficiency strategies through some of the programmes outlined above.
Southern Pump Services has a proven track record of supplying cost-effective pumping solutions to the UK Sewage and Waste Water Industry, by providing, not only high quality products, but also the facilities to support our customers from design, through installation to commissioning.
