Innovation and Future Trends in Pump Technology

Last month, we launched our new podcast series - 'The Curve: Innovation in Building Services'. In the debut episode we sat down with Operations Manager Joe Smith, who shared his insights into the most impactful developments in pump technology over recent years. Joe also discussed the external factors driving our sector forward and offered his predictions for the future.

You can watch the full podcast with Joe here or read our highlights below.

Emerging Innovation

Over the past decade advancements in pump technology have been largely driven by the global focus on sustainability and energy efficiency.

We’ve seen as recently as last year, EU regulations come into effect that mandate the use of IE4-level motors if running between 75kW and 200kW (these are classified as providing 'super premium efficiency', consuming less energy and delivering lower operational costs compared to IE3s). The IEC standards are improving all the time, and that means that people can save a lot of money whilst improving their carbon footprint.

We’ve also seen improvements in system designs, shifting away from those that run with a single point of failure and towards wider adoption of standby and backup pumps to mitigate the risk of building shutdown.

Looking Ahead

In the coming decade, efficiency will increasingly influence budget decisions. As energy costs fluctuate, the benefits of investing in efficient technologies will become more impactful.

We predict that smarter, more efficient pumps will continue to emerge, driven by the global push towards net-zero emissions and wider adoption of electric solutions. The automotive industry has already been making waves in the shift towards electric, and we anticipate the pump industry will not be far behind.

deckpro's Operations Manager, Joe Smith says: “The pump industry and the electric motor industry are leading the way in their innovations. Depending on the targets set by the government, our country is aiming for net-zero emissions, and electric motors play a crucial role in achieving this goal. Having this mentality will only enhance innovation and accelerate the development of new pump products."

Technology You Should Invest In

Here's our advice on where to invest:

Inverter Drives: Using inverter drives to control pump speed based on demand can significantly improve efficiency and reduce wear and tear, extending the pump's lifespan.
Use of Energy-Efficient Motors: Upgrading to high-efficiency motors (like IE4 or IE5) can reduce energy consumption and enhance the overall performance - you will save around 20% in energy costs straight off the bat.
Upgrading to Intelligent Pumps: Using intelligent pumps that can optimise energy efficiency and perform self-cleaning cycles reduces the need for frequent maintenance and enhances longevity. Check out Xylem’s intelligent wastewater pumps here.
Remote monitoring systems: Investing in smart controls and monitoring systems allows you to log onto booster sets and wastewater pump stations from your desk and see a real-time display of what’s going on in those systems. Issues can be flagged before the customer even knows about them.

Payback Periods and Budget Constraints

Whilst there’s many ways that you can invest to improve pump efficiency, most clients remain restricted by budget. Moving forward, this may become less challenging as payback periods become shorter and the process of calculating ROI becomes easier.

At deckpro pumps, we offer energy-saving calculations free of charge, which enables you to make informed decisions based on payback periods and present accurate insights to your investors. Calculating payback can be a fine art and we can never offer guarantees, because there are so many moving parts to consider (such as your cost per kilowatt hour, your unit cost, and how often you run the pumps). But, with the use of smart calculators these estimates are becoming more accurate and we can offer strong guidance in this area.

Even small changes - ones that won't break the bank - can deliver incredible savings over time (e.g. retrofitting a new invertor drive to an old pump system).

But budget constraints are not the only challenge we face when adopting smart technologies. Some technology is difficult to implement. For example variable speed drives have the potential to control temperature, flow and pressure, as well as adjusting speed according to demand. Yet, these features are regularly under-utilised and the investment is partly wasted as a result (read more about this in our recent blog here).

Case Example

We've demonstrated the impact of this technology at a leisure centre splash park, where significant improvements were made in both efficiency and operational costs. Our client, who manages the public swimming pool at the leisure centre, needed to keep the filtration pumps running throughout the night and during the day alongside their other systems.

We designed and installed an inverter drive in a built-in cabinet next to two new pumps. This allowed the filtration system to be programmed by the inverter to run at half speed during the night and alternate duty on a daily basis.

As a result, the pump runs at half the previous cost for 12 hours each day. This provided immediate savings and allowed the client to share the system’s duty, theoretically doubling the pump's lifespan.

What’s Next?

There are so many opportunities to invest in smarter solutions. And with a little more upfront investment, you’ll make substantial long-term savings. Calculating ROI and ensuring these investments are used to their potential is a challenge in itself, though, and that’s where we can help.

Get in touch with us to arrange a visit from our team – free of charge – and we will carry out a full site survey, indicating everywhere you could be making savings or system improvements.

We will provide an efficiency assessment and service plan with our recommendations on how to enhance durability and pump performance.

The Curve Podcast – Episode 1: Innovation in Pump Technology

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