How to digitalise water and waste water pumps successfully

Operators of water management systems are faced with ever greater challenges: operating reliability, energy efficiency and, last but not least, digitalisation are fields in which manufacturers and operators have to advance continuously. Here is an example: As a result of the population successfully taking measures to save water, the solids load in the waste water has increased steadily over the last few years. Pump manufacturers had to react to this trend and enhance their systems to be able to offer suitable protection and counter measures. Another example is the growing danger of cyber attacks on relevant infrastructure. Here, too, pump systems have to be protected adequately. At the same time, where possible, all components are required to be networked with each other and centrally controlled – a difficult balancing act that is necessary to operate pump systems reliably and make use of the opportunities of digitalisation.

KSB has now made networking of submersible motor pumps and mixers even easier – with AmaControl. The module makes the measured values and operating data of the pump available via an integrated Modbus interface. This is how operators receive information and warnings at an early stage, enabling them to react before a failure occurs.

To prevent cyber attacks the pump protection module does not allow system parameters to be changed via the Modbus interface. For safety reasons, such settings can only be made directly at the module.

One of the key parameters of a pump is the motor input power, which can tell us a lot about the operating point and condition of the pump. Measuring the effective power, reactive power and apparent power as well as the power factor cos ? has therefore been implemented as a major new feature of AmaControl. In addition, the integrated storage of the protection module contains meters for the effective power and reactive power input.A

nother major benefit: AmaControl can also measure the motor input power when a frequency inverter is installed. A current transformer is used in this case, offering the highest possible measuring accuracy of amplitude and phase over a large effective and carrier frequency range. The phase error is situated in the range of 20 to 100 Hz at < 1 º, which results in a particularly high accuracy of effective power.A

s the power increases or decreases the device can detect dry running, closed gate valves or rotor blocking in the motor due to clogging. The combination of other sensor data, e.g. motor temperature, bearing temperature and vibrations, serves to find possible faults, thus providing additional protection.

Regarding digitalisation, too, AmaControl takes a decisive step further: With the KSB INTspector app the user can access the AmaControl data directly. Based on exact operating data, fault lists with time stamp, a fault counter, informtion on operating hours, start/stop cycles, current measured values and other data, the pump condition can be analysed accurately. Via the live diagnosis all measured values can be recorded over a prolonged period of time and saved directly on a smartphone, tablet or laptop. This saves users having to purchase complex measurement equipment. Instead, they can simply use their end device as a data logger. Users also have full control over their systems by making settings directly in the app.

In the parameterisation, users can set each input in the module individually. If an input is not being used, it is set to "deactivated". The values for warnings, setpoints and tripping as well as for triggering and re-starting delays or for interlocked tripping without automatic re-start can be set for each input. This allows each value to be set specifically for the application. Users can also create entire parameter data sets, save them and re-load them via the app. A number of default parameter sets are available from KSB, saving time for recurring applications.

In addition to inputs for voltage and current, depending on the specific version, AmaControl offers further inputs for temperature, leakage, float switches as switching contacts and analog input, e.g. for vibration sensors. Phase monitoring comprises phase sequence, phase failure and phase asymmetry as well as overvoltage and undervoltage. It can also be used in single-phase supply systems.

A relay each for alarm and warning add to the operating reliability. With cos ?, operating hours, frequency of starts, short circuits and sensor interruptions can be monitored. The device determines and shows the input of apparent power, effective power and reactive power. It further meters the effective power and reactive power.

With its multitude of inputs, functions and options KSB's very compact AmaControl module fits perfectly into the protection concept of modern pumping systems – and supports the operator in meeting the rising requirements on operating reliability, efficiency and digitalisation.