Installing a high performance dirt separator is a key contributor to maintaining the efficiency of the new circulation pumps with ECM technology.
This has been highlighted by laboratory research conducted by system protection specialists, Spirotech.
The new generation pumps, which bring about a reduction in energy consumption and CO2 emissions, were introduced in line with the Eco Design Directive 2009/125/EC (Introduced in January 2013) and as a result have produced a significant increase in the number of high efficiency pumps being installed within the UK.
Spirotech’s research, entitled ‘The Effect of Magnetite on the Consumed Power of Glandless Circulation Pumps’, identifies that the new generation pumps are sensitive to the magnetite present in system water, calling on the need for a high performance dirt separator to be installed in order to remove the circulating magnetite and ensure the new pumps maintain their theoretical efficiency.
The sensitivity of these pumps to the presence of magnetite is due to the rotors of the new eco pumps which are permanently magnetic, causing magnetite to build up on the rotors. In comparison, the older pumps are only magnetic when the pump is running- reducing the time span when magnetic particles are stuck to the rotar. The Spirotech research compared both the conventional, asynchronous pumps with the new generation eco pumps, which are equipped with permanent magnetic motors. In the case of the modern pumps, magnetite had a clear and substantial negative effect on efficiency.
Due to the additional work that needs to be carried out by the pump as a direct result of the dirt on the rotor, its energy consumption will become higher. In the Spirotech lab tests the new generation pump efficiency was reduced by between 10-15% , with the research highlighting that over the course of time the pump’s efficiency could even be halved.
By installing a high performance, magnetic dirt separator- such as the SpiroTrap MB3- Spirotech provide an effective solution to the build up of magnetite, maintaining the impressive energy-saving benefits of the new generation pumps and preventing energy bills from increasing for owners who have invested in the state of the art pumps, but have found that magnetite build up is preventing optimal performance.
The SpiroTrap MB3 features the latest patent-pending intelligent magnetic field booster technology, working alongside its unique Spirotube feature for non magnetic dirt separation, enabling the magnetic and non magnetic particles to be continuously and effectively filtered out of the water.
