Vegetable oil producer saves energy with new pump technology

Feed Energy, based in Sioux City, Iowa, has been the premier supplier of high-quality liquid feed solutions for livestock and poultry for nearly 25 years. The company specialises in premium vegetable oil production.

The manufacture of this type of product requires liquid transfer capabilities to mix, blend and circulate fluids for proper formulation and to separate water content for maximum yield. The company uses air-operated double-diaphragm (AODD) pumps for high-transfer, high-circulation processes because they are portable and require minimal maintenance.

Because these pumps require compressed air for operation, capacity limitations can arise as companies add more pumps to expand production. In Feed Energy’s case, additional online pumps constrained system air volume capacity to a point that the company considered purchasing an additional air compressor to increase productivity and performance.

AODD pumps are known for their positive attributes of handling fluids that are heavily laden with solids, abrasive materials, shear-sensitive liquids and the ability to pump soft solids without damaging the product. They are also popular because they are lightweight, portable and easy to use due to their pneumatic power.

The technology still allows for simple installation by integrating electrical power generation into the system, eliminating the need to provide electrical power to the AODD pump. Ease of installation for the end user is, therefore, maintained. This new technology is also fail-safe in the event of any failures within the device. The pump will operate as a standard AODD pump and will maintain the end user’s processing objectives without interruption. By maintaining the robust characteristics of standard AODD pumps, this technology eliminates the risk of any increase in process downtime for the end user due to the integration of this type of solution.

Understanding the challenges at Feed Energy, Warren Rupp proposed a solution of installing the new air control technology to reduce compressed air usage. Pump curve calculations showed that over 50% in air savings was possible, which would lead to many benefits for the company including energy savings of as much as $1500 per year and a reduction of 7.5 kW at the air compressor. In total, Feed Energy would reduce energy consumption by as much as 60 kW and save over $12,000 in annual operating costs by deploying the air-saving technology to all eight of its three-inch pumps within the Sioux City manufacturing plant.

The company participated in a three-month performance trial to confirm projected savings. The product was evaluated at 10, 30, 60 and 90 days post installation. During this period the system was confirmed to reduce air usage from 125 to 61 SCFM, which is a 51% energy reduction from baseline equipment measurements. The results were taken to MidAmerica Energy, the local electrical utility, which then certified the engineered solution and rewarded Feed Energy with a $1200 rebate towards the purchase of this equipment (a system currently supported by the US government).

In summary, Feed Energy benefited from using the new technology by qualifying for a government-funded utility rebate, saving energy costs and expanding its plant-wide compressed air volume without having to purchase new air compressors or capital equipment.