Preliminary investigation of overall efficiency of motor-driven pump systems powered by a variable frequency drive with and without impeller trimming.
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| Title: | Preliminary investigation of overall efficiency of motor-driven pump systems powered by a variable frequency drive with and without impeller trimming. |
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| Authors: | Wang, Gang (AUTHOR) g.wang2@miami.edu, Bejar, Danielle (AUTHOR), Alonso Sevilla, Thomas (AUTHOR), Ding, Li (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Science & Technology for the Built Environment. Feb2026, Vol. 32 Issue 2, p182-196. 15p. |
| Subjects: | Variable speed drives, Impellers, Performance-based design, Simulation methods & models, Induction motors, Electric pumps, Mechanical efficiency |
| Abstract: | Due to direct shaft connection to induction motors, centrifugal pumps can only run at a limited number of speeds. Impeller trimming is normally applied to fine tune the pump operating point to match the demanded design performance with degraded pump efficiency. Due to dynamic water flow, motors are often powered by variable frequency drives (VFDs). The question is whether the VFD can replace impeller trimming to achieve the design performance without degrading pump efficiency. The objective of this paper is to investigate the overall efficiency of motor-driven pump systems powered by a VFD with and without impeller trimming through simulations. First, potential approaches to obtain pump efficiency and the equivalent circuit method to obtain motor efficiency are discussed. Second, an approach to obtain pump efficiency is identified using manufacturer data. Finally, the overall efficiency with and without impeller trimming is simulated for a 4 × 5×13.5 pump on the right and left boundaries of the preferred operation region as well as the best efficiency points. The simulation results reveal that the utilization of VFDs can provide an absolute improvement of 10% in the efficiency if the impeller is trimmed below 12.5 inch but risk of overloaded motors exists with incorrect VFD settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Science & Technology for the Built Environment is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Engineering Source |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: egs DbLabel: Engineering Source An: 191254865 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Preliminary investigation of overall efficiency of motor-driven pump systems powered by a variable frequency drive with and without impeller trimming. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Wang%2C+Gang%22">Wang, Gang</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<i> g.wang2@miami.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bejar%2C+Danielle%22">Bejar, Danielle</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Alonso+Sevilla%2C+Thomas%22">Alonso Sevilla, Thomas</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ding%2C+Li%22">Ding, Li</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Science+%26+Technology+for+the+Built+Environment%22">Science & Technology for the Built Environment</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 32 Issue 2, p182-196. 15p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Variable+speed+drives%22">Variable speed drives</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Impellers%22">Impellers</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Performance-based+design%22">Performance-based design</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Simulation+methods+%26+models%22">Simulation methods & models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Induction+motors%22">Induction motors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Electric+pumps%22">Electric pumps</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mechanical+efficiency%22">Mechanical efficiency</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Due to direct shaft connection to induction motors, centrifugal pumps can only run at a limited number of speeds. Impeller trimming is normally applied to fine tune the pump operating point to match the demanded design performance with degraded pump efficiency. Due to dynamic water flow, motors are often powered by variable frequency drives (VFDs). The question is whether the VFD can replace impeller trimming to achieve the design performance without degrading pump efficiency. The objective of this paper is to investigate the overall efficiency of motor-driven pump systems powered by a VFD with and without impeller trimming through simulations. First, potential approaches to obtain pump efficiency and the equivalent circuit method to obtain motor efficiency are discussed. Second, an approach to obtain pump efficiency is identified using manufacturer data. Finally, the overall efficiency with and without impeller trimming is simulated for a 4 × 5×13.5 pump on the right and left boundaries of the preferred operation region as well as the best efficiency points. The simulation results reveal that the utilization of VFDs can provide an absolute improvement of 10% in the efficiency if the impeller is trimmed below 12.5 inch but risk of overloaded motors exists with incorrect VFD settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Science & Technology for the Built Environment is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1080/23744731.2025.2578988 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 15 StartPage: 182 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Variable speed drives Type: general – SubjectFull: Impellers Type: general – SubjectFull: Performance-based design Type: general – SubjectFull: Simulation methods & models Type: general – SubjectFull: Induction motors Type: general – SubjectFull: Electric pumps Type: general – SubjectFull: Mechanical efficiency Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Preliminary investigation of overall efficiency of motor-driven pump systems powered by a variable frequency drive with and without impeller trimming. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Wang, Gang – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bejar, Danielle – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Alonso Sevilla, Thomas – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ding, Li IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 02 Text: Feb2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 23744731 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 32 – Type: issue Value: 2 Titles: – TitleFull: Science & Technology for the Built Environment Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
