Success Story: Water

I. CUSTOMER ENVIRONMENT / PROJECT CONTEXT

Customer profile:

• Water companies, local governments or councils, municipalities managing water distribution networks (like booster stations, irrigation,...)  or wastewater collection networks (wastewater transfer stations).
  
• Food processing and manufacturing plants can also be possible customers for these solutions (fresh or wastewater).

Customer objective and constraints:

• Get a cost effective solution for standalone pumping stations
  
• Deploy and operate standardised solutions, with emphasis on performance, reliability, maintenance.
  
• Guarantee high availability of the installations, according to contractual obligations.
  
• Contribute to operation cost reduction, by providing energy savings and hydraulic circuit protection (hydraulic shock reduction).

II. SOLUTION IMPLEMENTATION

Implementation methodology (main phases):

• Based on the analysis of their market for standalone pumping stations, Schneider Electric New Zealand has developed a consistent offer based on 3 pre-programmed controllers embedded into ATV61 variable speed drives: "Lead pump", "Multi-pump", "Wet well":
  1. Analysis of the market needs for standalone pumping stations => Irrigation, booster, water reticulation, wastewater transfer
  2. Development, by internal team, of a consistent offer based on pre-programmed controllers embedded into ATV61 variable speed drives => 3 applications: "Lead pump", "Multi-pump", "Wet well".
  3. Pilot phase on some stations
  4. Commercial deployment in the zone. Development and use of deployment tools (demo tools, training courses, specifications).
  

Solution overview (services, products, systems, architectures...):

• System architecture is based on ATV61 drives (+ potential DOL starters) controlling pumps. Drives are equipped with Controller Inside boards. When several drives are used (Multi-pump or wet well applications), they are interconnected together through Canopen, providing a level of redundancy.
  
• 3 software applications are available:
  - Lead pump (constant pressure pumping, 1 to 4 pumps) – mainly used in irrigation industry.
  - Multi-pump (constant pressure pumping, 1 to 4 pumps) – mainly used in fresh water industry.
  - Wet well control (level control, 1 to 3 pumps) – mainly used in wastewater industry, as a transfer system
  
• Equipment sold can be:
  - Kit sets (typically VSD, pre-loaded CI card, pressure transducer and distribution components), or
  - Fully assembled pump panels (manufacturing through partners)
  
• Direct engineering and commissioning services can be provided by service team. Solution could also be sold through intermediaries (contractors,...).

How did we estimate the energy savings (methodology, tools, ...)

• Energy savings can be roughly estimated using the Eco 8 software, taking into account the characteristics of the water circuit, the pump characteristics, as well as the operating duty cycle.

III. RESULTS / ACHIEVEMENT

Customer benefits:

• Proven solutions, with safety of operation
  
• One provider for different types of stations (boosters, wet wells, irrigation,..)
  
• Performance: Advanced functions (protections, operating modes, advanced features embedding pumping, application knowhow, interface with telemetry)
  
• Optimisation of the ROI of the installation

Schneider Electric differentiating values VS competitors:

• "out of the box" complete solutions for such a wide range of pumping applications
  
• Easy integration: Minimal Hardware, wiring and programming cost (only configuration)
  
• Provides the level of redundancy/hot standby at a reduced cost (Wet well, multi-pump)