Water & Wastewater Treatment Magazine
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34 | APRIL 2020 | WWT | www.wwtonline.co.uk Pumps & valves: Case Study planners do not allow external plant. "As a nation we have to turn to heat pumps as a major contributor to renew- able heating to reach our net-zero carbon objectives. As part of this, the new gov- ernment must quickly clarify the nature of support post-RHI, whether this is contin- ued tariff support, or wholesale changes to building and planning regulations." One recent step forward which he be- lieves could help boost the market is the launch of a new High Efficiency Submers- ible Borehole System (HES) from Franklin Electric. With a motor size of just 4", it guarantees energy savings of up to 20 to 30 per cent above standard borehole motors. Designed to fit within open loop ground source heat pump installations as well as in water abstraction from bore- holes, its clever technology reduces the amount of parasitic energy required to run the pumping equipment. Mike Deed, managing director of Franklin Electric's strategic partner Geo- quip Water Solutions, explains: "This is a gamechanger, especially in the geother- mal and/or domestic markets where there may be smaller installations with lower flow levels. "If you've invested in a geothermal heating system, then you will already be someone who cares about reducing energy usage. Being able to utilise a high efficiency system with a 4" synchronous submersible motor and a 4" submersible pump, rather than the less energy ef- ficient asynchronous motors, ticks all the right boxes in moving to a more sustain- able approach." Findlay concurs and says: "This is certainly a step in the right direction. It will make the process much faster and simpler and appeal to those who are keen to improve their energy efficiency and further reduce their heating and cooling bills in the longer term." Paul Harris, from H.D. Services, installers of Open-Loop Ground Source Heat Pumps, also believes the new high efficiency systems would add real value in efficiency terms. "We have completed dozens of small domestic open-loop ground source heat pump installations throughout the south east since 2010," he said. "Any one of these installations would benefit from these HES compared to the standard bore- hole pumping system they currently have. Moving forward, we will be proposing the installation of HES for the water supply to our open-loop ground source heat pump systems, it is the equivalent of simply reducing the fuel delivery cost for the heat pump and therefore overall system effi- ciencies will be higher. For an Open-Loop GSHP where overall system efficiency is a factor, the HES is a 'no-brainer'." Designed and manufactured by Frank- lin Electric under its E-tech brand, the HES comes complete with its own so›ware programme, allowing customers to go online and see straight away what their payback period will be. Richard Knipe, Franklin Electric's UK sales manager, said: "There is a lot of ongoing interest in the energy saving advantages of the HES and, even better, because the 4" motor has a smaller diam- eter, it is a more affordable option. That means a reduction in capital investment and a shorter payback time, so it's a win- win solution." Monitoring and maintenance Having invested in new equipment, both Deed and Knipe stress the need for regu- lar monitoring. Deed says: "The HES is creating a great deal of interest and is setting new stand- ards in greener energy efficiency. Having made that initial decision however, the key to achieving this on an ongoing basis is efficient monitoring and regular maintenance. It is never enough to just fit and forget. "Whether in a geothermal setting or a borehole, pumps, pipes and motors can all become contaminated with iron bac- teria, iron oxide, manganese oxide and calcium carbonate deposits and this will lead to reduced flow and yield." The best way to manage this problem is by installing bespoke remote monitor- ing and telemetry systems which will enable full remote access and round-the- clock checks. Once a problem is identi- fied, the monitoring team can then decide on the best approach. For example, if the pump is blocked then the yield will have dropped and in- formation such as this is vital in forecast- ing the most appropriate course of action. Equally, if the well is drawing down more for the same flow rate, then the well inflows may be reducing, potentially as a result of residue or biofouling build up. One solution is Geoquip's range of BoreSaver products, approved by the NSF for the first time in the UK market. Easy to use, safe, and biodegradable, these can be used in situ, meaning there's no need to dismantle and remove equipment except in extreme circumstances. The addition of a marker into the formulation gives an instant all clear to demonstrate that any remaining chemical residue has been removed. Deed says as well as solving the im- mediate problem, regular maintenance and checks will also extend the life of the equipment and keep water flowing longer in future, increasing energy efficiency and continuing to earn against that ROI. Drilling a water supply borehole for a factory water supply and potential GSHP.