When leading fluid motion and control provider Flowserve Corp re-equipped their pump testing facility in Newark, they chose ACS800 inverter drives from ABB UK.  The drives are used for quick and easy testing of new pump variants at different speeds.

The test rig is divided into two independent test facilities capable of running at the same time. The  smaller facility has two test stations with ACS800 IP54 wall-mounted inverters controlling pole motors of 11 kW and 37 kW. The second has three test stations with ACS800 IP54 wall-mounted inverters controlling two pole motors of 75 kW and 132 kW, and a 75 kW 4 pole. The motors are controlled remotely  using ABB’s Drive Windows  software over a fibre optic link.

The use of multiple test stations allows Flowserve to test one pump, while another pump and motor is being installed.  Flow meters are installed to monitor the water flow under pumping load. A data acquisition system takes data from the test station instruments, such as the flow, pressure, rotation speed.  Other monitored data include vibration, noise are displayed on a monitor in the control room.

Ian Gray, engineering manager at the Newark facility, says: “This gives us instantaneous access to the measurement data of the current pump under test, as well as control over the water discharge valve and the VSDs.” The discharge control valves are remotely controlled with Flowserve actuators and an independent control system also linked to the PCs.

The test rigs will help Flowserve ensure its new pump variants meet the requirements of ISO 9906, which specifies hydraulic performance tests of centrifugal, axial and mixed flow pumps.  Pumps from Newark are sold worldwide, in both 50 Hz and 60 Hz markets, and the ACS 800 handles both.

Motor pump combination testing

Gray said. “Most pump purchasers will buy a motor with the pump and this is how they are tested.  By using the ACS800 we can vary the speed without spending time putting a different motor on the test rig.  Some end users of pumps are not confident of using efficiency figures derived from the VSD alone, so the ability to use the torque meter in the application helps us reassure these customers.”

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