In today’s rapidly evolving industrial landscape, the need for efficient and sustainable operations has never been more critical. One area that has seen significant advancements is pump management, where remote pump performance tracking has emerged as a game changer. By leveraging modern technology, organizations can monitor and analyze pump performance from anywhere, enabling them to make informed decisions that enhance operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact. This innovative approach not only optimizes energy consumption but also extends the lifespan of equipment, ultimately contributing to a more sustainable future.

What is Remote Pump Monitoring?

Remote pump monitoring is a way to enhance on site operations. However, a remote monitoring system allows to control and monitor the equipment from an off site location. Cloud based software can keep supervisors connected anywhere at any time. This can provide numerous benefits if managed properly.

How does remote pump monitoring improve pumping station efficiency?

When equipped with cloud storage and machine-to-machine data logging, pump monitoring systems can improve pumping station energy efficiency by recording and storing historical performance data that can be analyzed to highlight areas of inefficiency and inform operational changes.

For example, recorded data might show that a station’s pumps continue to operate through periods of low demands, wasting energy and causing excess wear. This could be resolved by retrofitting variable speed drives (VSDs) that adjust pump speed to match the current demand, optimizing energy consumption and extending the life of the pump/s thanks to an observation made through the remote monitoring system.

What are the features to look for in a remote pump monitoring system?

Remote monitoring and data access

View live pump data anywhere, anytime.

Data logging

Analyse logged data to detect mechanical issues and implement appropriate proactive maintenance, monitor and improve system energy efficiency.

Alarm capabilities

Remote and customisable alarms mean you can receive notifications via text and email to your mobile phone and categorise alarms based on their severity.

Security

Cloud-based hosting with multi-factor authentication will ensure your data is secure.

Digital and analogue inputs

A combination of digital and analogue inputs allows for alarm alerts, live status monitoring and historical data analysis. Digital inputs provide on/off (binary) data signals for conditions such as pump tripped and high level float switch active. Analogue inputs receive continuous values for monitoring factors like wet well level and pump run time.

What are the cost savings associated with remote pump monitoring systems?

Increased energy efficiency

Analysing logged data can reveal system inefficiencies and inform changes to improve system energy usage.

Proactive maintenance

Comparing historical and live data highlights changes in system performance for further investigation, allowing issues to be resolved before devolving further and requiring more costly repairs.

On site attendance only when necessary

When paired with third party monitoring, issues can be diagnosed and resets performed remotely, with site attendance only when necessary and once the issue is fully diagnosed to reduce the time needed on site.

How do remote pump monitoring systems help in predictive maintenance?

Remote monitoring systems allow for the comparison of recent and historical data, allowing you to track operation performance. If you notice a decline in performance in a specific area, further investigation can reveal the cause of the issue and inform the necessary maintenance actions.

Wet well monitoring

You can track how long it takes to empty the wet well by monitoring pump running duration or how long level control units take to indicate a change from high to low level. If it is taking longer than usual, it could indicate issues such as worn impellers or malfunctioning valves.

Temperature monitoring

Monitoring pump motor temperature will show you if they are overheating, which could be the result of electrical issues, overloading or a need to relubricate moving parts like bearings.

Load monitoring

Monitoring motor behavior in terms of electrical characteristics and investigating changes can diagnose wide issues, such as a pipeline blockage causing the motor to work harder and intake a larger current.

Environmental benefits of remote pump monitoring

Moving fluids from point A to point B with the help of pumps can sometimes affect the environment in negative ways, including leaks and spills, the burning of fossil fuel and the emission of greenhouse gases. Here’s a look at the benefits of remote pump monitoring when it comes to mitigating these impacts.

Minimizing leaks and spills

Spills in a pipeline carrying fresh water squander a precious natural resource. A leak or spill of wastewater or chemical laden fluid can result in short term environmental harm and long-term adverse effects on the groundwater and people living in the area. An unmonitored pump, pipe or hose could leak fluids for hours before anyone notices.

With remote pump station monitoring, users can set up alerts that notify them via phone, tablet or computer when metrics such as flow and pressure deviate from the expected norm. A drop could indicate a leak in a pipe or hose. Technicians who receive an alert can rush to the site to determine the problem and solve it. Better still, operators can set up automatic pump shutdown to limit the damage while personnel make their way to the pump station.

Data from a remote pump monitoring system can also enable improved pump maintenance. By monitoring diagnostics such as engine coolant temperatures and even the condition of pump seals, technicians can identify and fix problems before they result in pump failure or a leak. Preventive maintenance of pumps can also extend the useful life of the equipment, limiting the extraction of natural resources needed to manufacture new pumps.

Reducing fuel use and emissions

When pumps are performing optimally, they generate fewer emissions and use less fuel. Pump telemetry data including engine hours, oil levels, fuel levels and diagnostic fault codes enables more proactive preventive maintenance. Remote monitoring can reduce fuel consumption in several additional ways. By monitoring pump fuel levels remotely, operators can ensure that fuel deliveries are made only when necessary, which reduces miles driven. Telemetry on rental pumps can reduce trips made by the equipment vendor to manually check engine hours, which drive service intervals.

Industries that can benefit from remote pump monitoring

Many industries can incorporate remote pump monitoring to save money and improve their sustainability record. Here are a few examples:

Upstream oil and gas industry

Water transport companies move clean water to fracking sites via miles-long pumping systems. Remote monitoring coupled with automatic shutoff allows companies to stem the loss of water when a leak occurs. Remote monitoring of the systems used to move produced water into storage pits helps prevent spills that could lead to fracking water contamination of the groundwater.

Power generation industry

Sustainable companies protect the health and safety of their workers. When temporary pumps are brought in during plant outages, they are typically squeezed into small spaces. Remote monitoring keeps workers out of these spaces, which may pose a risk of close encounters with moving equipment.

Similar to pump monitoring, tank monitoring can be used to safeguard worker health. Any water that spills onto a plant floor could endanger people working with electrical equipment. Remotely monitoring water levels in tanks helps prevent overflows.

Municipalities

During sewer bypass operations, operators can monitor flow rates using pump telemetry and adjust the rates remotely to achieve optimum flow. That helps prevent sewage backups into homes or businesses and reduces the risk of a raw sewage leak that could cause water quality issues and health problems for people in the area.

Agricultural industry

Every trip farmers have to make into their fields to check on irrigation pumps results not only in lost time but also fuel burned by the vehicle they drive. With remote monitoring, farmers can monitor their pumps from afar. They can also set the irrigation system to automatically start and stop as needed, optimizing pump operation time and potentially conserving thousands of gallons of water, not to mention preserving crops. Notifications of pressure drops that could indicate pipe bursts also minimize water waste.

Conclusion

Remote pump performance tracking represents a pivotal shift in how organizations manage their pumping systems. By providing real-time insights and historical data analysis, this technology empowers operators to identify inefficiencies, implement proactive maintenance, and minimize waste. As industries strive to meet sustainability goals, integrating remote monitoring solutions will be essential for achieving operational excellence. Embracing remote pump performance tracking not only enhances efficiency but also demonstrates a commitment to environmental stewardship, paving the way for a more sustainable and responsible approach to resource management.

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