Energy Efficiency Indicators for Water Pumping Systems in Multifamily Buildings

Abstract

With the current concerns about sustainable development and energy consumption in buildings, water pumping systems have become essential for reducing energy consumption. This research aims to develop guidelines for the energy assessment of water pumping systems in multifamily buildings. The methodological procedures are: (i) definition of the efficiencies of electric motors; (ii) definition of pump efficiency levels; (iii) determination of energy consumption; and (iv) construction of the efficiency scale and guidelines for projects and assessments. The results obtained were that centrifugal pumps with 40% efficiency have higher energy consumption, regardless of the efficiency class of the electric motors, showing a 20% increase in electrical energy consumption. Lower efficiencies directly impact the energy efficiency rating of the water pumping system. Thus the 40% efficiency obtained energy efficiency rating “Very Low—VL” for all motor efficiency classes (between IE1 and IE5). At 60% efficiency, the energy efficiency level of the system was “Average—A”, gradually increasing to “Very High—VH”, as the energy consumption in the pumps decreased and the motors’ energy efficiency classes increased. It is concluded that designers and professionals in the area must consider the efficiency of the pumps, as they play a fundamental role in the classification of the system’s energy efficiency. It is also recommended to verify the energy efficiency of the water pumping system and implement design guidelines so that the pumping system achieves lower energy consumption, contributing to the building’s energy efficiency and sustainability.

Advanced and Complex Energy Systems Monitoring and Control: A Review on Available Technologies and Their Application Criteria

“…KPIs are fundamental to estimate the energy efficiency of a system and are specific for the application to be considered [52][53][54][55][56][57][58][59][60][61][62][63][64][65][66][67][68][69]. Complex KPIs can be formulated as a combination of more KPIs properly taking into account weights for each parameter.…”

Optimal Rotor Design and Analysis of Energy-Efficient Brushless DC Motor-Driven Centrifugal Monoset Pump for Agriculture Applications

“…Electric motors account for approximately two-thirds of global industrial electricity usage and contribute to half of the global domestic electricity usage. Notably, pumping systems autonomously consume nearly one-fourth of the overall electricity utilized by electric motors worldwide [3,4]. Compared to electric motors, centrifugal pumps usually deliver relatively lower efficiency, often around 50% or less, which can decline further over their operational life [5,6].…”