What’s the Latest with the Centrifugal Pump? New Technology to Improve Functionality

Owners and managers of properties in New York City know that pumps are the beating heart of every building. In particular, centrifugal pumps, used for moving large volumes of fluid, are vital to every building’s operation for everything from water circulation to fire suppression. And when it comes to the centrifugal pump, new technology is key to improving performance. Here are some innovations that may help your property’s pumps work more efficiently, with fewer headaches for you and your staff.

Decreasing Size

Smaller footprints

Like many mechanical items, centrifugal pumps have been getting small in size over time. This makes them easier to install, especially where space is tight in boiler rooms and fire suppression control rooms.

Booster pumps, used to augment water circulation pumps when pressure is low, are also decreasing in size, making them more popular than ever for tall buildings. You have more options for positioning the pump, or a series of booster pumps, when you don’t have to worry about taking up a huge amount of space.

Leakage Prevention

Multiple benefits

More attention is being given to preventing water loss with centrifugal pumps, which has several upsides:

• Saves on water consumption (a significant concern at both the municipal and local level in places with water scarcity, which also makes it more expensive)
• Ensures full volume of water is being transported
• Eliminates leakage nuisances for maintenance staff
• Protects system components around the pump

This is achieved through better seals and gaskets that aren’t easily subject to hardening or cracking, as well as through improved pump housing with fewer seams and materials less subject to corrosion.

Energy Efficiency

Saving money and helping the environment

A more efficient motor in a pump may increase its up-front cost, but it pays for itself in just a short time. Better copper windings and electrically commutated motors (ECM), for example, prevent lost electricity, which can add up in large residential and commercial properties. Variable speed through pump controls (see below) improves efficiency, especially when demand fluctuates in very large properties, as does adding pressure boosters to reduce strain on circulator pumps.

Macerating Toilets

The sewage ejector pump’s new “cousin”

If you have low-lying units or laundry rooms in your property, you may have sewage ejector pumps to grind and eliminate waste when gravity can’t do the job alone. Macerating toilets are a similar invention. However, instead of sending the waste from a toilet to a separate sewage grinder pump, the waste is macerated in the toilet and pumped into the sewer line by the toilet itself.

Innovative Industrial Materials and Design

Improving impeller lifespan

The health of any pump’s impeller is crucial to its function. Pitting, cavitation, and other damaging processes that contribute to pump failure (sometimes permanently) can be held off in part by using more innovative materials and design in the construction of the impeller.

Industrial buildings often have more robust needs for centrifugal pumps, as they handle hot, corrosive, and hazardous liquids, and they have been a key driver in the development of more resistant impeller manufacturing. Silicone carbide, which has properties similar to diamonds, is one material that’s being explored to extend impeller lifespans, as it can handle high temperatures and fights corrosion and overall wear. Additionally, improving the hydrodynamics of the impeller design through back vanes and better sealing helps extend its lifespan.

Another place where innovation is taking place is in the winemaking industry. There, flexible impeller pumps, which are a kind of hybrid between a centrifugal and positive displacement pump, are being developed and will certainly influence use in other settings. The impeller rotates inside a cam-shaped casing, which compresses the impeller vanes to displace liquid on a vertical plane. Variable speed technology via computer control (see below) is an important element of the mechanism, which reduces shear without compromising pump efficiency or the integrity of the fluid being moved.

Pump Controllers and Digital Technology

Reducing manual operation

Another lifesaver for the centrifugal pump impeller has been the advent of computerized pump controllers. Not only do they allow for subtle automatic changes in pump speed, but they also detect dangerous situations with the pump and can shut it down if necessary, while alerting the operator to the situation instantly. Pump controls can also let you know when it’s time for lubrication, for instance, and can be preset to reduce manpower needed in their operation.

Partnering with Pump Specialists

The right pump every time

In order to capitalize on this new centrifugal pump technology, it’s vital to collaborate with pump specialists who understand how it works and can tailor pump systems to your unique property. Otherwise, such as when you have a subcontractor that picks the wrong pump (often based on price or fancy bells and whistles you don’t need), you risk under-designing or over-designing your system, which can have negative consequences.

The bigger the property and the more pumps in use, the more important this is. Smart property owners and managers are learning that this partnership saves them money in the long term, so it’s a worthwhile investment.

Are your property’s pumps overdue for service or in need of an upgrade? Antler Pumps should be at the top of your list when you want expert repair and advice on new equipment. Call us at 212-534-2500 today to schedule an appointment and let us bring the world of centrifugal pump new technology to your building.