Halcrow has been commissioned by Melbourne Water Corporation to undertake a desktop study to determine the expected benefits to be realized through implementation of the ENCOMS optimization tool to control the operation of the Brooklyn Pumping Station (BPS).
Following data capture and construction of a calibrated hydraulic model, the ENCOMS tool was used to calculate and simulate optimal operation of the pumping station, with the objective of minimizing energy consumption, and consequently reducing operational costs.
The simulation results indicate that potential saving in energy consumption of about 12% as compared with the operational records is achievable.
The study was carried out in two stages:
Stage 1: Investigation to identify tools/products which will help monitor and reduce energy consumption in order to maximise the efficiency of the pumping stations within the system.
Stage 2: Based on findings from Stage 1, the overall objective of Stage 2 was to develop an Optimal Pumping Scheduling (OPS) program demonstrate its functionality at the Brooklyn Pumping Station, and assess the potential energy savings and likely benefits based on simulations using historical data.
Halcrow carried out extensive analyses and assessments using the historical operational records received from Melbourne Water. A hydraulic simulation model representing Brooklyn Pumping Station was constructed and calibrated using historical operational data.
Subsequently, the OPS program was developed based on the ENCOMS software, which was modified to generate the optimal speed settings for the variable-speed pumps. The objective of the program is to operate all duty pumps at their best efficiency point and to minimize the total power consumption of the pumping station.
The operational simulations were carried out by applying the OPS program to Brooklyn Pumping Station for daily operations.
The key findings are as follows:
- The review of historical operational records and the characteristic pump curves revealed that most of the pumps were operating outside their best efficiency points.
- The current principle of “Follow the Flow” was developed with due consideration of hydraulic and environmental constraints and assuring safe and reliable operation of the pumping station. In practice, the maintenance f these constraints in real-time operations cannot guarantee that all duty pumps operate at the optimum efficiency.
- The OPS program compares thousands of different combinations of speed settings within a short period of time and provides the operator with the best settings for the variable speed pumps in line with the “Follow the Flow” policy, avoiding the “trial-and-error” mechanism adopted in the current control strategy.
- The simulation results indicate that a potential saving in energy consumption of about 12%, as compared with the operational records, can be realized through implementation of the OPS program at the Brooklyn Pumping Station. Savings of this order should be expected for rolling out the OPS system to additional pumping stations within the Melbourne Water Corporation system.