AQUATIM cost reduction by 40%, through a UPT project
AQUATIM cost reduction by 40%, through a UPT project
The costs of pumping water in the network of Timișoara, totaling over 700 km, have been substantially reduced, thanks to a research project coordinated by Politehnica University Timișoara, in partnership with SC AQUATIM SA. The research contract entitled "Software module for energy evaluation of the operation of hydraulic generators in drinking water systems" aimed to develop algorithms for evaluating the optimal operating point of the pumps at Bega Pumping Station 1 for night consumption and the daytime consumption of the people of Timisoara, as well as the development of monitoring software tools.
The project was directed by lecturer eng. Alin-Adrian Anton, Ph.D., from the Department of Computers and Information Technology, together with the research team formed by prof. eng. Sebastian Muntean, Ph.D., and eng. Daniel Moș, from UPT, together with eng. Ionel Drăghici, Ph.D., and eng. Adrian Cococeanu, Ph.D. from SC AQUATIM SA. Students Ardelean Timotei, Szakal Raul, Peter Alexandra, Kadlecz Bogdan, Măran Alexandru also participated in the measurements performed at night and during the day.
The project aimed to change the drinking water pumping regime in Timisoara with a substantial reduction in costs. Thus, starting with the morning of May 27th, 2020, the AMF500 pump group, which operates in parallel at Bega Pumping Station 1, has been reconfigured so that they operate both at night, with lower consumption and during the daytime, around the point of maximum hydraulic efficiency. Electricity consumption was reduced from 0.073 cubic meters/KWh to 0.044 cubic meters/KWh, thus saving 40% in electricity costs, to which the maintenance and upkeep savings of the pumps are added.
