Booster System Basics:
Constant Speed Systems
Pressure Booster Systems
WHAT IS A BOOSTER SYSTEM?
BOOSTER SIZING REQUIREMENTS
BOOSTER SYSTEM CONTROL
ENERGY SAVING STRATEGIES
DRAWDOWN TANKS
What is a Pressure Booster System?
Pumps
Control Panel
Pressure Reducing Valves
Headers, Piping and Isolation
Valves, Pressure gauges, Solenoid
Valve, Aquastat and copper tubing
All components mounted on a
common base, tested and
calibrated to site conditions
What you need to size a
booster system?
Calculate the total flow requirement for
the building
Number of Domestic Water Fixtures
Type of fixtures in the building
Type of building (residential, public, heavy use)
Special services
Total Flow = Total Fixture Units
100
100
GPM
50
HUNTERS CURVE
50
50
50
100
100
Fixture Units
What you need to size a
booster system?
Calculate the total flow requirement for
the building
Calculate the total pressure required for
the building
Static Pressure
Based on the vertical boost
required above the packaged
system manifold
This component never varies
stat
Fixture Pressure
Required pressure to operate fixture
at farthest point from system.
Must overcome valve start-up
pressure (i.e. 25 PSI min. required for
flush valves to operate)
Never varies, this is always required
as a minimum
fix
Packaged System Losses
Systems are designed to
have no more than 5psi loss
from suction manifold to
discharge manifold
This must always be added
into pressure calculations
loss
Available Suction Pressure
Typically varies by about
10-30 PSI
Can vary over time due to
growth
Can also vary due to
municipal re-structuring
city
Friction Losses
Usually calculated at 10% of
total static requirement
Typically a very small boost
pressure component
Can be larger as in the case of
boost over a campus-style
area or large low-rise building
fric
Pressure Requirement
System Press
Fixture pressure
PRV Losses
Static head
Friction Head
Supply pressure after water mete
Pump Boost Pres
Pressure Requirement
Pump Boost Pressure
(TDH)
= Fixture Pressure
+ Package Losses
+ Static Head
+ Friction Head
- Supply Pressure
Pressure Requirement
Boost Pressure
= System Pressure - Supply
Pressure
Significance of System Flow
in Booster Systems
Flow impacts system demand, not pressure - as
demand increases, flow must increase at a
constant output pressure
Flow governs pump actuation - therefore, flow
should govern pump sequencing and actuation
System capacity matched to system flow
requirement is most efficient and cost effective
for domestic water pressure boosting
What are the most popular methods
of booster pump control ?
Flow meter or flow switch
Instrument is in contact with corrosive water
therefore requiring more maintenance
What are the most popular methods
of booster pump control ?
Flow meter or flow switch
Pressure Switch
Requires non-overloading (NOL) motors
Requires a pressure drop across
operating range
Can be unstable in operation resulting in
starving the system of water (end of
curve operation)
Mechanical switches increase possibility
of failure
PRESSURE
Effect of Suction Pressure
(PSI)
50
Discharge
Pressure
40
HP
30
20
Suction
Pressure
10
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
GPM
Effect of Suction Pressure
PRESSURE
(PSI)
50
Discharge
Pressure
40
HP
30
20
Suction
Pressure
10
Suction
Pressure
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
GPM
What are the most popular methods
of booster pump control ?
Flow meter or flow switch
Pressure Switch
Current or kW Sensing
Current Sensing
As the flow increases, so does the pump load
The motor must match the pump load
Current / Power draw for motors is proportional
to the load (pump flow work)
Current - Flow Relationship
PRESSURE
(PSI)
50
40
PUMP CURVE
HP
30
20
Motor Amps
10
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
GPM
Effect of Suction Pressure
PRESSURE
(PSI)
50
Discharge
Pressure
40
HP
30
20
Motor Amps
Suction
Pressure
10
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
GPM
Effect of Suction Pressure
PRESSURE
(PSI)
50
Discharge
Pressure
40
HP
30
20
Suction
Pressure
10
Suction
Pressure
Motor Amps
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
GPM
% Change Full Load Amps
Effects of Voltage
Fluctuations on Motors
% Voltage Change
- 10
+11
-7
+10
Current Sensing
Motors sized to match the power
requirement
Current sensing allows flexible pump
sizing to match the system load profile
and energy requirement
Duplex:
33% - 67% capacity split
Triplex: 20% - 40% - 40% capacity split
Current Sensing
Duplex allows
up to three
steps of
sequencing
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
0%
P1
P2
P1&P2
Current Sensing
100%
Triplex
allows up to
five steps of
sequencing
80%
60%
40%
P 1 /P 2 /P 3
P 2 /P 3
P 1 /P 2
P2
0%
P1
20%
Time
23h00
22h00
21h00
20h00
19h00
18h00
17h00
16h00
15h00
14h00
13h00
12h00
11h00
10h00
9h00
8h00
7h00
6h00
5h00
4h00
3h00
2h00
1h00
0h00
400
350
300
250
50-50 Split
200
Actual
Consumption
150
100
50
Flow Rate ( GPM)
Typical Daily Demand Curve
500
450
Time
23h00
22h00
21h00
20h00
19h00
18h00
17h00
16h00
15h00
14h00
13h00
12h00
11h00
10h00
9h00
8h00
7h00
6h00
5h00
4h00
3h00
2h00
1h00
0h00
400
350
300
250
50-50Split
200
Actual
Consumption
150
100
50
Flow Rate ( GPM)
Duplex Booster - 50/50 Split
Conventional Split
500
450
Duplex Booster - 33/67 Split
3 Step Control with No-flow shutdown
500
33-67 Split
400
350
300
250
200
50-50 Split
Actual
Consumption
150
100
50
Time
23h00
22h00
21h00
20h00
19h00
18h00
17h00
16h00
15h00
14h00
13h00
12h00
11h00
10h00
9h00
8h00
7h00
6h00
5h00
4h00
3h00
2h00
1h00
0h00
Flow Rate ( GPM)
450
Energy Consumption
HP
GPM X Feet (Head)
3960 X (Pump Eff) x (Motor Eff
Smaller pump at lower flows will be more
efficient and consume less energy
Smaller motor is more efficient at lower loads
Time
23h00
22h00
21h00
20h00
19h00
50-50 Split
18h00
17h00
16h00
15h00
14h00
13h00
12h00
11h00
10h00
9h00
8h00
7h00
6h00
5h00
4h00
3h00
2h00
1h00
0h00
33-67% Energy Savings: 19%
12
10
Actual
Consumption
33-67 Split
4
Consumption (kWhrs)
Energy Savings
Conventional vs. 33/67 Split
14
Energy Savings
Conventional vs. 33/67 Split
Total Energy Savings =
Energy Cost = $0.12
19%
/ kWhr
Savings per Year: $2,280
What are the most popular methods
of booster pump control ?
Flow meter or flow switch
Pressure Switch
Current or kW Sensing
VFD with pressure transducers
No-Flow Shutdown and Tank
Sizing
When do you use it? Where should
you install it? What size should it
be?
Sizing and Selecting
Drawdown Tank
Tanks are to be used in systems that
do not have a continuous water
demand
Tanks should NOT be sized according
to booster size
Tanks should be sized to store 20 - 30
Gallons of water (2 - 3 GPM leak
loads)
Tanks maintain pressure in piping
system and supply small demands to
allow pumps to be shutdown
Sizing and Selecting
Drawdown Tank
Tank Storage Volume is governed
by the Ideal Gas Law
Solving for storage volume gives:
Vstorage
Pdifferential x VTotal Tank
(PTotal +PAtmosphere)
3 factors must be considered
Tank Volume
Vstorage
Pdifferential x VTotal Tank
(PTotal +PAtmosphere)
The bigger the tank, the better the
storage
Differential Pressure
Tank storage Volume is proportional
to the difference in the cut out and
cut in pressures of the pumps
The larger the pressure differential
the more water that will be stored
in the tank
Vstorage
Pdifferential x VTotal Tank
(PTotal +PAtmosphere)
Pressure Differential
Calculation
Pdifferential = Pstop - Pstart
Pstop = Pressure at the tank when
the system shuts down
For adjacent or package mounted
tanks, this means the suction
pressure plus the shutoff head of the
pump
For remote mounted tanks, this is
simply the normal system pressure at
the location of the tank
Pressure Differential
Calculation
Pdifferential = Pstop - Pstart
Pstart = Pressure at the tank when
the system starts again down
For adjacent or package mounted
tanks, this means the setting on the
no flow (call on) pressure switch
For remote mounted tanks, this is
simply the system pressure at the
location of the tank when the call on
pressure switch brings the system
back on
Total Pressure
A lower Total Pressure will yield larger
water storage for the same pressure
differential
Lower Total Pressure allows for lower
tank pressure rating
Vstorage
Pdifferential x VTotal Tank
(Ptotal +PAtmosphere)
Lower tank pressure rating
Sizing and Selecting
Drawdown Tank
All three of these factors must be
considered in selecting the
appropriate tank
Vstorage
Pdifferential x VTotal Tank
(PTotal +PAtmosphere)
Where Should the Tank be
Installed ?
Packaged Mounted
Tank water storage may
be limited by tank size
Will require higher tank
pressure rating
More Costly
Difficult to maneuver due
to weight and may
require building structural
reinforcement.
Where Should the Tank be
Installed ?
Adjacent Mounted
Tank is supplied as a
loose component for
connection on site
Tank is not mounted on
skid with pumps
Contractor has freedom
to locate tank in
mechanical room
System is easier to
maneuver
Where Should the Tank be
Installed?
Remote Mounted
Roof mounting - Lowers Tank Total
Pressure and Tank Pressure
Rating Required
Allows for the use of smaller tanks
for desired water storage
Contractor has flexibility locating
and installing tank
Questions
&
Answers
Thank You
