In 2015 Samara Municipal Systems started a refurbishment programme with 37 boosting pump stations. While replacing obsolete or worn-out control equipment with modern, energy-efficient products was an important aspect of the upgrade, the primary focus was on true optimisation of the water supply system.
To achieve this they implemented Aquatoria, a solution developed especially for the water industry. Aquatoria makes it easy for operators to edit the parameters and configuration of installed pumping equipment and other control equipment, and also controls the pressure in the water distribution system.
It identifies inefficient operation of equipment and highlights impending equipment failure, giving staff time to rectify issues before they become real problems. An interactive map view helps engineers respond quickly and efficiently when operational problems are highlighted at remote locations.
Continuous data analysis
For further plant optimisation, Aquatoria performs continuous data analysis in the background, generating meaningful analytical reports and alerting staff when process performance begins to drift significantly from operational norms. Finally, an asset monitoring and diagnostics module with GSM communications simplifies maintenance of complex distributed systems. Data collected within a Mitsubishi Electric FX3U PLC is time-stamped and transmitted to the central SCADA system.
With the installed Mitsubishi variable speed drives in the pumping station cabinets enabling effective pressure adjustment, Aquatoria made further optimisation possible by switching off pumps when their efficiency drops below preset levels. The solution helps to reduce water losses and improves the energy consumption while maintaining even flow and pressure during times of high demand.
Upgrade results
With the upgrade complete, the performance and energy consumption of the 37 pumping stations were monitored closely over the first four months of 2016 to see the effectiveness of the variable speed drive installation in combination with the implementation of the adaptive control algorithm. Total power consumption was reduced by over 51%.
Also notable was the fact that reducing the outlet pressure led to an 8% fall in emergency call-outs while improving overall operational effectiveness thanks to the full and reliable information on the process parameters.
Beyond decreasing overall energy consumption, implementation of the Aquatoria solution has created preconditions for business process optimisation.
