Introduction
Pump stations are the backbone of water infrastructure. However, they are prone to failures caused by dry run conditions and suffer from reduced lifespan due to unequal wear and tear across assets. Traditional control systems lack the precision needed for equitable usage and real-time motor protection. This case study details how a municipal water utility upgraded a critical pump station with Terra M to gain intelligent control, eliminate downtime through motor protection, and extend the lifespan of its pumping assets.
The Challenge
The utility’s multi-pump station faced several challenges that compromised service delivery and increased operational costs:
- Catastrophic Dry Run Failures: The existing protection mechanism was slow or unreliable, leading to the pump running without water (dry run), causing rapid overheating, seal damage, and costly motor replacement.
- Unequal Pump Aging (Duty Cycle Imbalance): Pumps were manually assigned a duty, or alternated based on simple timers, leading to imbalanced usage hours. This resulted in the premature failure of the heavily used “Duty” pump while the “Standby” pumps sat idle.
- High Energy Costs: Inefficient pump control led to energy wastage and high maintenance intervention.
The Solution
TerraConnect installed the Terra M IoT Controller, the essential solution for meticulous performance in pump stations. The system was configured to provide comprehensive motor protection and asset management.
Intelligent Dry Run Protection (Current Sensing)
Terra M integrates current sensors to constantly monitor the electric load on the pump motor. A sudden and significant drop in the measured current indicates an unloaded (dry-run) condition, triggering an immediate and safe shutdown, thus preventing motor burnout.
Dynamic Duty Cycle Management
The system implements an automated duty cycle rotation to ensure equitable run-time across all installed pumps. The “Duty” pump is automatically alternated based on a set run-time or calendar schedule, balancing wear and tear and maximizing asset lifespan.
Proficient Multi-Sensor Integration
Seamless integration with level, flow, and pressure sensors provided data for precise pump control and adjustment.
Reduction in Annual Dry Run Incidents
By shifting from slower protection methods (like float switches or thermal cut-outs) to real-time current sensing, Terra M instantly detected and averted dry-run conditions.
Improvement in Pump Runtime Balance
The automated duty cycle management ensured that no single pump was overworked, balancing the total operational hours across the assets and extending the overall life of the pump station.