Called ‘Wash-Saver’, the package uses a variable frequency drive (VFD) and returns typically 85% mechanical energy efficiency irrespective of operating speed.
This compares favourably with other approaches, particularly rotary pitot-type tube pumps which typically operate at less than 40% mechanical efficiency and must run at very high speeds between 4,500 and 5,500 revolutions per minute just to achieve 60 bar.
The Wash-Saver concept uses a feedback signal to the VFD to control the pump speed. The pump, drive motor, accessories and VFD panel come fully assembled, tested and pre-configured at Cat Pumps’s UK facility, to match end-users' requirements. The option of a pre-piped water header tank is also available, and installation into an existing centralised high-pressure pipe system is said to be an uncomplicated procedure.
The control panel can readily be incorporated into a factory automation system or linked into a local area network.
Cat Pumps’s Wash-Saver only uses as much water as required, as the pump only runs when wash-down guns and lances are activated. As the pump remains fully primed and pressurised even when in idle mode, water is delivered at the required pressure and flow as soon as any wash-down gun is activated. Thus, it is not necessary to keep high-pressure water recirculating and the pump running constantly at high speed. This capability saves energy and reduces wear on the pump and its components.
Contact: Cat Pumps (UK)