Pumps and Systems, April 2009
A metering pump is a positive displacement pump capable of pumping liquids at adjustable and precise flow rates. The word metering refers to the delivery of fluids at precisely controlled flow rates. A metering pump is typically comprised of a pump head that is driven by an electric motor. The liquid to be pumped enters the pump head through an inlet line and exits via an outlet line.
Also known as dosing pumps, metering pumps are found in water and wastewater treatment plant applications. Such applications necessitate the injection of expensive additives that require precise metering. Other possible applications range from corrosive and hazardous fluids to isolation of viscous fluids or slurries.
The total North American metering pumps market generated revenues of $217.6 million in 2008. Figure 1 shows the revenue trend for the North American metering pumps market from 2006-2013. Given the current economy, the metering pumps market is likely to witness somewhat diminished growth when compared with the industry growth in 2006 and 2007. In 2013, the market is expected to generate revenues of $255.4 million, with the CAGR likely to be 3.3 percent from 2009 to 2013.
The advent of digital technologies to reduce total cost of ownership combined with increased investment in infrastructure and stricter government regulations are factors that will influence growth in the metering pumps market. (Note: For this research, North America is defined as the United States and Canada.)
Figure 1
Key Market Drivers
Reduced Total Cost of Ownership
Customers are increasingly looking at products that can provide benefits over the entire product life cycle rather than just looking at capital cost. Manufacturers are continuously deploying products that can offer higher performance and increased durability. The industry is also witnessing the introduction of a new generation of metering pumps that incorporate digital technology to improve the monitoring and diagnostics capabilities of the pump, thereby achieving better process control. These factors contribute to reduced maintenance and associated costs, thus increasing equipment reliability and helping customers better manage their assets.
Increased Investment in Infrastructure
The anticipated increased investment in infrastructure in the water market will aid in the market growth of metering pumps. With customers looking for more precise control, the demand for metering pumps is likely to continue in the water and wastewater industry due to the accuracy needed to deliver chemical additives in the water treatment process.
Growth in Oil & Gas Applications
While the oil & gas industry has generally experienced a somewhat volatile 2008 to early 2009, infrastructure development is expected to continue in some applications. One example of this activity is expected to be deepwater exploration and development. While the current credit crunch has decreased expected growth in 2009 and the short term, industry watchers expect this to continue to be a robust area of growth in the future.
As deepwater projects involve significant levels of investment, operators tend to take a long term view of project development and consider the potential volatility of oil prices. Dozens of new deepwater drilling rigs are scheduled to come on-line during the next five years, with the U.S. Gulf Coast being one of the global hubs for this type of operation.
Strict Government Regulations Demand Higher Quality
Environmental legislation and enforcement have traditionally been one of the major market drivers in the metering pumps segment. Increasing concerns regarding safe drinking water, EPA regulations and increased quality standards in food and drug manufacturing have forced suppliers to provide products of innovative design and improved quality.
Metering Pumps Join the Digital Trend
Despite the benefits from systemic plant-wide online pump monitoring, several ongoing major challenges for monitoring pumps have been unreliable mechanical instrumentation, remote locations and multiple pump configurations. The pump industry is currently witnessing a shift toward proactive maintenance through adoption of advanced automation solutions that enhance reliability and life cycle cost of the equipment.
Customers are increasingly replacing the mechanical systems with digital pumping solutions (DPS). DPS are pumps with built-in process controllers, diagnostic capabilities and, in some cases, variable speed drives. These built-in diagnostics enable automatic detection of abnormal pumping conditions such as dry run, cavitations, dead head, etc., and react accordingly to prevent damage either to the pump or the system.
Recent technological advances have given birth to a new generation of metering pumps. Now equipped with digital technology, these pumps offer increased accuracy and process control with significant cost savings. The use of stepper or brushless DC motors with new software adds to the intelligence of the electronic control.
These next generation pumps are capable of continuously operating at full stroke length, which eliminates the need for stroke adjustment. The possibility of varying capacity by means of a software-controlled speed adjustment facilitates large turndown ratios. This feature aids in additional cost savings since it reduces the number of pump sizes needed for the entire range of flow without any compromise on accuracy. Elimination of the need for stroke control would mean the pump would require fewer parts such as knobs for mechanical adjustment, which also saves money.
New digital metering pumps are now capable of continuously monitoring flow and pressure. Monitoring pressure enables the user to detect a change in pump accuracy, which could result from cavitation, leakages or air or gas bubbles. Continuous monitoring of the flow within the pump provides vital feedback required to adjust the pump speed according to the dynamic system conditions.
Other innovative features that have been added to metering pumps include easier priming and the possibility of handling liquids such as sodium hypochlorite and other viscous fluids.
With the new avenues opened as a result of the technological advances, metering pumps will be capable of monitoring, troubleshooting and performing diagnostics and also offer the option of remote operation and control via wireless signals.
We expect the adoption curve for digital pumping/smart pumps to rise significantly in the next three to five years as the business case for smart system investments becomes increasingly compelling.