Predictive control of multi‐pump stations with variable‐speed drives

The growing energy market and increasing energy costs require new solutions in pumping technology aiming to rise the energy efficiency. In the study, a novel centrifugal pump predictive control organisation is proposed. Unlike the traditional speed‐oriented pump regulation, an efficiency‐oriented approach is realised where the specific power loss in the motor drives are taken into account alongside the general pump and pipeline losses. The offered management strategy and algorithm are based on the prediction of optimal operating points using combined tabulated and analytical performance characteristics of a pumping station. Applying the efficiency distribution diagram, the control map has been designed intended for running the optimal number of pumps at the appropriate speeds. As a result, the system performance within one of the best efficiency regions is maintained now at all the requested head and pressure inputs and pipeline condition instabilities.