Pumping Station

The most numerous types of fluid machineries are of the pump family (machines which add energy to the fluid), other important types are turbines (which extract energy from fluid). Both types are usually connected to a rotating shaft, hence also called turbomachineries. The prefix turbo- is a Latin word meaning ―spin’’ or ―whirl,’’ appropriate for rotating devices. The pump is the oldest fluid-energy-transfer device known. At least two designs date before Christ: (i) the undershot-bucket waterwheels, or norias, used in Asia and Africa (1000 B.C.) and (ii) Archimedes’ screw pump (250 B.C.), still being manufactured today to handle solid-liquid mixtures or to raise water from the hold of a ship. Paddlewheel turbines were used by the Romans in 70 B.C., and Babylonian windmills date back to 700 B.C. Since that time, many variations and applications of pumps have been developed. The power generating turbomachines (turbines) decrease the head or energy level of the working fluids passing through them and they are coupled to machines, such as electric generators, pumps, compressors etc.

Summary Centrifugal pumps perform many important functions to control the built environment. The physics and basic mechanics of pumps have not changed substantially in the last century. However, the state of the art in the application of pumps has improved dramatically in recent years. Even so, pumps are still often not well applied, and become common targets in retrocommissioning projects where field assessment and testing can reveal significant energy savings potential from optimizing pump performance. Typically, retrocommissioning finds that pump flow rates do not match their design intent and that reducing flow rates to match load requirements or eliminating unnecessary pressure drops can save energy. As the example below illustrates, decisions made during the design phase have implications throughout the operating life of the building. Although fully optimizing any design will require some effort after installation, the prevalence and magnitude of the savings that are commonly found in retrocommissioning and ongoing commissioning begs the larger question: How much greater would the savings be if pumps were selected and applied optimally during the design phase?

Main Types of Compressors  The compressor is the heart of a mechanical refrigeration system.  There is the need for many types of compressors because of the variety of refrigerants and the capacity, location and application of the systems.  Generally, the compressor can be classified into two basic types: positive displacement and roto-dynamic.