WATER pumping systems frequently provide critical services to an industrial facility or building, so any downtime will invariably cause serious disruption and impact the bottom line.
The only way to avoid this is preventative maintenance – underpinned by real-time remote monitoring that the Grundfos Remote Management (GRM) system can provide. This is according to Nicolette Gomes, senior service sales specialist at Grundfos.
Digital technology is taking the reliability of water pump solutions to another level, with remote monitoring and control now giving users more insight into operations than ever before.
The result, according to Gomes, is that users have the ability to assess their equipment performance at all times – and to plan well in advance for the necessary servicing interventions.
“We facilitate this process with our Grundfos Remote Management (GRM) system, which is a cloud-based portal that users can log in to from anywhere,” Gomes said. “The required module just has to be installed onto a pump controller. We can even install GRM on other pump brands, after updating the controller on their system.”
The GRM provides a real-time overview of the pump system, generating valuable data on key performance indices and transmitting that to the portal. The user can view the data and monitor exactly how the pumps are performing at any given time.
The benefits of this portal include the ability to track energy consumption and flow volumes and to generate reports on this activity. A range of alarms can be activated to alert operators to issues such as over-voltage or under-voltage, as well
as water shortages and other problems.
The GRM will also send a notification to Grundfos and the customer when the pre-determined service intervals have been reached, ensuring that regular maintenance is conducted to optimise pump longevity and performance.
“This gives us the opportunity to order in the necessary spares, to have them available as soon as the customer’s operation provides the opportunity to conduct the work. Even the details of each maintenance intervention – including the parts replaced – can be logged on the system, so that a good record is maintained,” Gomes added.
There is even an element of remote control in the GRM, which allows the user to manage the equipment – for instance, stopping and starting the pumps – without having to physically stand in front of the machinery, she notes. This can help to avoid catastrophic failure from conditions like dry-running.
“We can connect this to a Grundfos MGE motor with an integrated frequency converter or CUE external frequency converter, to monitor operational data. This includes the power consumption, speed and set points, so that customers can see how their systems behave over time and can use these insights to limit downtime,” said Gomes.
Customers gain inestimable value from these technology tools as they not only ensure optimal performance, but also avoid costly repairs and unscheduled downtime, added Gomes.
