Today, energy efficiency is not only a contribution to the environment, but also a critical factor for business survival. Given the volatility of electricity prices in Ukraine, the cost of powering industrial equipment is becoming a significant component of a product’s production cost.
Pump equipment at an average enterprise consumes from 20% to 50% of all electricity. However, the experience of Steiner Ukraine engineers shows that replacing or modernizing outdated systems makes it possible to reduce these costs by at least 30%. How does it work? Let’s take a closer look.
Why are old pumps eating into your budget?
Most industrial plants still use pumps that were installed 10–15 years ago. Even if they are working properly, they have two major problems:
- Low efficiency: Wear and tear on the impellers and internal surfaces reduces the unit’s efficiency year on year.
- Deviation from the operating point: Pumps were often selected with a ‘margin of safety’, which meant they operated sub-optimally, wasting energy unnecessarily.
Steiner’s three pillars of energy efficiency
We are implementing the concept of ‘Green Engineering’, which is based on three technological solutions:
1. Introduction of variable-frequency drives (VFDs)
Most processes do not require the pump to run at 100% capacity 24/7. Installing a variable frequency drive allows the motor speed to be automatically adjusted according to the system’s actual requirements.
Result: Reduction in energy consumption by 15–50%, depending on the load profile.
2. Switching to IE3 and IE4 electric motors
Modern energy efficiency standards (International Efficiency) help minimise losses due to heating and friction. Replacing an IE1 motor with an IE4 motor delivers immediate savings that pay for themselves within the first year of operation.
3. Precise selection of the impeller geometry
Thanks to state-of-the-art computer modelling, Steiner’s specialists select equipment where the pump’s ‘operating point’ aligns as closely as possible with its peak efficiency. We don’t just sell ‘a pump’—we tailor solutions to your specific pressure and flow requirements.
Case study: Modernisation at a food processing plant
We recently replaced a series of old centrifugal pumps with modern, intelligently controlled systems.
- Before modernisation: The system was running at a constant speed, with excess pressure being vented via a bypass (a pure waste of energy).
- After: The implementation of VFDs and pumps with optimized hydraulics allowed the client to reduce the electricity bill by 32%. The project payback period (ROI) was just 14 months.
Why should you choose Steiner Ukraine?
We offer a comprehensive approach that includes:
- Energy audit of the existing pump fleet: We measure actual consumption and highlight potential savings.
- A selection of equipment from leading global brands: We work with manufacturers whose names are synonymous with reliability.
- Professional service: Proper installation and commissioning are key to ensuring that the stated energy efficiency figures are achieved in practice.
Green engineering isn’t about the future; it’s about your competitiveness today. Reducing energy costs by 30% frees up resources that you can channel into growing your business, rather than paying your electricity bills.
