Motors and Drives

Pentair’s IntelliFlo® system saves up to 90 percent in pool pump energy costs

Background

Pentair Inc., headquartered in Minnesota, and its Water Pool and Spa Group, located in Sanford, N.C., is a global leader of innovative products and systems that aid in the movement, treatment, storage and enjoyment of water.

Problem

There are more than 350,000 residential pools in the Southern California Edison [SCE] service territory, and approximately 306,000 more in the Pacific Gas and Electric [PG&E] service area. Pool pumps use an estimated 9.2 million kWh and have a potential peak demand of as much as 1,312 MW. This demand and energy consumption is growing.

More than 90,000 new and replacement pump systems are installed each year in California. This provides a significant opportunity to dramatically lower utility demand and customer costs at the same time. Pool pump operating costs can run as much as $600 a year.

Pentair Water Pool and Spa designed a new pool pump to take advantage of this opportunity, the IntelliFlo®. This pool pump uses a variable speed drive [VSD] to monitor pool conditions and automatically adjust the pumping system with varying demand. The IntelliFlo® uses about 1/10th of the horsepower of conventional pumps. By using a VSD, the pump can run at lower speeds much of the time, lowering overall energy consumption and demand. Since the pump motor works only as hard and long as it needs to, the life of the pump is increased.

The IntelliFlo® system, compared to conventional pool pumps, offers up to 90 percent energy savings and up to 80 percent demand savings. It does so by monitoring the water flow and electric current to ensure that the filtration system is always operating at peak efficiency. IntelliFlo® also senses loss of water prime, impedance of flow, under or over voltage situations, thermal overload or freezing and takes immediate action to correct and / or protect itself. Furthermore, this system is much quieter than standard pool pumps, producing only seven to 10 decibels – approximately half the sound of a whisper.

Assistance

Advanced Energy sought out Pentair Water Pool and Spa after learning about IntelliFlo® with a unique opportunity to find early adopters of this new technology. Pentair and Advanced Energy have collaborated with both Southern California Edison [SCE] and Pacific Gas and Electric Company [PG&E] to offer pool professionals and pool owners a rebate through their participating utility as an incentive for purchasing this new kind of energy-efficient pool pump. Advanced Energy manages this rebate program for Pentair with both SCE and PG&E.

Solution

Utilities in California are providing significant incentives for pool owners to replace their existing single-speed pool pumps with variable speed models, such as the Intelliflo®. Many pool owners are responding by replacing existing pumps with IntelliFlo®, realizing that as energy costs rise, it is essential to conserve energy wherever possible. Pool professionals recognize IntelliFlo® as a way to help cut their customers’ costs and install a pump with increased effectiveness and efficiency, which raises customer satisfaction.

Benefits

By encouraging the purchase of the IntelliFlo® system, Advanced Energy is helping to reduce energy consumption. Since a pool pump constitutes anywhere from 20 percent to 30 percent of a customer’s electric bill [and the Intelliflo® can save up to 90 percent in pool pump energy costs], customers can see as much as a 27 percent reduction in their total energy bills. Pool professionals are able to see more satisfied customers. Utility companies are able to reduce energy consumption and reduce demand at peak intervals despite the rising consumer demand for pools and use of pool pumps.

These two Pentair projects are projected to distribute 6,000 IntelliFlo® units in California during 2007 and 2008. The projected energy savings and peak demand reduction for California are expected to result in 9,360,000 kWh and 7,764 kW, respectively. Actual energy savings will be measured before and after IntelliFlo® installations from a sample set of over 200 installs and reported later in 2007.