Thermal hydrodynamic pumps. Summary of 2008.

There is a saying: as you meet a New Year as you pass it. The “Teplo XXI veka” group of companies met 2008 with the Gold “Quality mark of XXI century” of the “All-Russia mark. Quality mark of XXI century” competition. Our year has passed by this sign, under the mark of quality improvement of TS1 thermal hydrodynamic pumps. TS1 type thermal hydrodynamic pumps (“vortex heat-generators”) are modern, high-efficiency, self-contained, energy-saving, ecologically friendly heating, heat supply and hot water supply systems. They are intended for: - autonomous heating residential, office, sport, industrial and storage buildings, greenhouse, etc; - heating of water for: household and technological purposes, bathhouses, laundries, pools, etc. Energy carrier costs with thermal hydrodynamic pumps are lower on 15%, and maintenance costs for heating, heat supply and HWS much lower than with gas-fired boilers. Thermal hydrodynamic pumps are fire- and explosion-proof, do not require permission of the Federal service on ecological, technological and atomic supervision(letter of Administration of state power supervision ref. # 10-05/2845 of September 26, 2007), Maintenance of thermal installations with electric power upto 100kW is carried out without a license (Federal law # 28-FZ of 03.04.96). They are simple in maintenance, an electrician without special training with minimum operational experience can serve them. The first installations were commissioned in 2003/2004 heating season. Now more than four hundred TS1 installations are operated in Russian regions, near and far abroad. Each heating season bring resource operational experience applied for further perfection of the equipment. Thermal hydrodynamic pumps can work both in stationary individual heat supply stations (IHSS) and in mobile building block heat supply stations (BBHSS). General view of BBHSS-55 is shown in Photo 1. Photo 1. Building block heat supply station (BBHSS-55). The first BBHSS trial operation started in 2007/2008 heating season. BBHSS has proved the best performance that mach interested the users and converted to signing supply contracts. The main principle of development: the product resource designed in the TS1 type thermal hydrodynamic pump – taking into account operation in the Russian conditions – must be defined by resource of a serial electric motor, i.e. must be at least 10-12 years. Therefore the design was not optimized on metal consumption, has bearing units with a large safety factor, etc. The special attention has been given to selection of reliable components. 100% incoming control has been accepted due to poor quality of domestic bearings and considerable quantity of fakes of import bearings. After technical analysis of sealing units designs the basic solution to refuse obsolete stuffing box seals and to use end seals of the English “John Crane” company mostly applied in oil and pump equipment was accepted. As our company has concluded the long-term contract with the official representative of the “John Crane” company in Russia that ensures authenticity and quality of the sealings, there is no necessity to accept cheaper analogues released by little-known Russian or Chinese manufacturers. There is a settled opinion that quality of domestic production considerably concedes to the import one. It is true just in part. TS1s are completed with common industrial induction motors of State Standard 183-74, State Standard R51689-2000, 380/660V, 3000rpm, 55, 75, 90 and 110kW, U2 climatic modification, on lugs (IM 1001). Even without that fact that import motors are more expensive in two-three times than domestic ones there are two more reasons by which use of import electric motors is not planed. The first reason: import motors have a service factor equal to 1 while domestic ones have service factor 1.1-1.15. Service factor (State Standard R 51689-2000 “Induction motors”, clause 3.7.) is an acceptable overloading at the rated voltage and frequency. Thus winding overheating must not excess the acceptable temperature for this class of insulation heat resistance more than on 10%. Import motors fail fast due to poor quality of power supply often met in domestic service conditions. The second reason is maintainability. As our equipment is supplied to all regions of Russia, in case of breakage in any most remote place it is necessary to replace or repair the failed element in the minimum terms. If a stock of repair parts is limited in bearings and end seals, we can have them in our warehouse and send under the first demand of users, but it is impossible for electric motors. Practically all trading organizations have no high power electric motors (over 55kW) in warehouses. Deliveries are made “under the order”, delivery term can achieve 60 days. Shutdown of the heating equipment for such a long term is unacceptable in most cases. Domestic electric motors can be repaired fast practically everywhere, but motors of foreign manufactures are not maintainable. Electric motors of the necessary nomenclature are made in the CIS countries by VEMZ (Vladimir), ELDIN (Yaroslavl) and “Novokahovskiy electroengineering works” (Ukraine) factories. However we need not a supplier only, but a partner, as poor-quality electric motors can cause a considerable damage to our products reputation. Therefore before choosing a manufacturer of electric motors they were offered to conduct joint tests of thermal hydrodynamic pumps and electric motors to identify operating characteristics of electric motors under real loading. Such tests allow to definitively coordinate technical data of a pump, control unit and electric motor and contradict the unreasonable assumption that faults of electric motors is connected with thermal hydrodynamic pumps design. Tests of electric motors of different manufacturers were consumed under the uniform program and methods on the basis of commercial manufacturer of thermal hydrodynamic pumps and on our skilled-experimental base. Tests together with the ELDIN factory (Yaroslavl) were conducted in May-June, 2008. The following conclusions were drawn by the test results: 1. The operational documentation of thermal hydrodynamic pumps contains all necessary requirements to regular maintenance of the electric motor. In case of observance of TU 3631-001-78515751-2007 and TS1-055/075/090/110-00.000 RE requirements the electric motor must not fail for a warranty period. 2. The heat-generators manufacturing and test process in the thermal hydrodynamic pumps manufacturing plant does not create preconditions to electric motors faults. 3. During operation parts of thermal hydrodynamic pumps do not render unacceptable effects (vibrations, other mechanical loadings, excess of operating currents above nominal value in regular mode, etc.) which can cause failure of the electric motor for a warranty period. 4. The ESTS1 control unit does not render negative impact on the electric motor. It reduces starting loadings that provides smaller deterioration of electric motors. 5. TS1-055, TS1-075 and TS1-090 thermal hydrodynamic pumps with electric motors manufactured by the OAO “ELDIN” and control units manufactured by the OOO “Effective systems” are mechanically interfaced by mechanical and electric parts. Manufacturers accept the equipment to operate as a complex. During joint tests with the “Energodrive” company conducted in August, 2008, were revealed that 7AI250S2 electric motors with 75 kW installed capacity are compatible by the characteristics to TS1-075 thermal hydrodynamic pumps, and 7AI225М2 electric motors with 55kW installed capacity are not compatible to TS1-055. The tests conducted with electric motors of some other manufacturers showed their unfitness for joint operation. Those types of electric motors, which failed the test, are not installed on the thermal hydrodynamic pumps. Quality of TS1 type thermal hydrodynamic pumps is annually certified by Certificates conformity: #ROSS RU.AYa46.V57997 (2007), #ROSS RU.AYa46.V12043 (2008). All materials applied in the design and components are certificated. The OAO “ELDIN”, manufacturer of electric motors, presents the Declaration of conformity. The control unit manufactured by the OOO “Effective systems”, with which the thermal hydrodynamic pump is completed, also has Certificate of conformity #ROSS RU.AYu64.V13113. The “Teplo XXI veka” company makes to itself high demands on maintenance of the output quality and execution of contractual obligations. But self-estimation is one matter, and estimation of experts is another matter. Therefore participation in the competition on including in the “Reliable enterprises of Moscow” catalogue is planned in 2009. The First step in this direction is already made, the Moscow Chamber of Commerce and Industry accepted the company in August, 2008. The high-efficient method of water heating with thermal hydrodynamic pumps is rather new. Now there are no scientifically proved methods of design calculation and optimization. However for some reason we are reproached in absence of the theory, but not scientists. Millions of viewers of the «Ideas factory” TV-program, in which sales manager V.A.Kim participated and won the “Vision of the future” nomination, heard such unfair reproaches. Therefore besides the basic industrial activity we have to be engaged in scientific research. Within the “Power engineering 2008: innovations, solutions, prospects” International scientific and technical conference , timed to the fortieth anniversary of the Kazan State Power University, the “Round table on “vortex heat power engineering” was conducted on September 16, 2008. Organizers of the event are Administration KGEU, Editorial board of the “Energetics of Tatarstan” journal and the “Teplo XXI veka” company. KGEU Pro-rector on scientific work of J.V.Vankov was a Chairman of the meeting. None of the participants of the “round table” doubts that thermal hydrodynamic pumps produce thermal energy effectively. Many specialists faced with the problem of equipment designing without the theory. Usually theoretical substantiation appears after acquisition of development and maintenance experience, and then methods of design calculation are created. Therefore anybody of the participants in debate did not suggest to stop manufacture of thermal hydrodynamic pumps till the theory to be developed. However, it would be incorrect to think that our company is “a stability island” in the conditions of the burst global financial crisis. The Moscow Department of science and the industrial policy included the “Hydrodynamic thermal pump” theme in the plan of applied scientific researches and designs in interests of Moscow for 2008, but funds were not allocated due to the financial crisis. The mortgage crisis occurred in summer 2008 in Kazakhstan led to the situation when funds for disbursement the signed contract on supply of hundred installations “freezed” in the Kazakh bank and were not transferred to our account. Both economic and political reasons impede the export. As our dealers informed us, authorities of the Ukraine have instructed local officials not to purchase the Russian equipment that have complicated the situation for us and also for many factories. But whatever occurs in the world, everyone needs heat in the winter, therefore orders for the equipment arrive to us both from Russian and from foreign users. This year export supplies to South Korea and Japan have continued, the first party of thermal hydrodynamic pumps has been sent to Mongolia. It is necessary to consider money under conditions of crisis. As our equipment is energy-saving, number of our clients will be increasing. The “Teplo XXI veka” company ended 2008 year as it practically began that once again proved the saying. Efforts on improvement of the output quality and reliability have been appreciated. In November, 2008 our company was awarded with a gold medal “Guaranty of quality and safety” of the “National safety” competition, and in December – with a platinum medal “Quality mark of XXI century” of the “National glory” competition. Photo 2. Medals: “Quality mark of XXI century” and “Guaranty of quality and safety” Despite considerable successes we are not going to stop at the achieved. We will continue to improve the quality control, perfection of design and lineup expansion