Overview

As a leader in systems integration, process control and energy technology developments, Ener-Tech Associates, Inc. (ETA) is always striving to take advantage of the latest technology and improve business practices in order to provide their clients with the best possible solution.

Dennis Laws, P.E. of ETA was faced with a difficult situation in which he had to model and analyze a customer's complex pollution control system. The customer had traditionally analyzed the system using an in-house spreadsheet, and expected Dennis to analyze and submit recommendations on this very complex system using the same approach. After a short review of the spreadsheet, it was determined that a much more powerful tool must be used to model the system and to be able to recommend available options.

ETA decided that PIPE-FLO would be that tool, based on the program’s ease of use, speed of calculations, and ability to simulate the operation of many different operating conditions. This success story highlights many of the key factors in the decision to use PIPE-FLO over competing programs and the traditional spreadsheet approach.

The Challenge

ETA’s first analysis of this complex pollution control system was performed using the client’s in-house spreadsheet software. The spreadsheet approach didn’t provide an accurate model of the system, and there were too many costly assumptions being made. In addition, the spreadsheets only allowed for a 3-branch piping system analysis at any one time, and there was no way to review the entire system without filtering through 20-25 pages of data laden spreadsheets. The program just didn’t give them the results they needed.

PIPE-FLO's Solution

ETA decided that they needed a software program that would generate more accurate results. After an extensive analysis of competing programs, ETA decided to purchase PIPE-FLO for it’s ease of use, speed of calculations, interactive graphics, use of industry standard calculation methods and data (Crane Tech. Pub. 410), and the ability to very quickly make changes. PIPE-FLO gave them much more accurate results, and they were able to include many more variables than they could have with the customers in-house software.

"PIPE-FLO was much faster and understandable than the spreadsheet approach, plus we can easily add on to the system at any time to view total system operations," said Laws.

"PIPE-FLO allowed us to model the interaction of many different aspects of the system working together, at the same time", said Dennis Laws, P.E., ETA. "Using PIPE-FLO we could see how the entire system operates. The customer could never accomplish this with their spreadsheet approach. In addition, spreadsheets did not provide the graphical representation of what was actually occurring in the system. PIPE-FLO allowed us to view a schematic of the system, which makes a world of difference, rather than paging through spreadsheets."

Using PIPE-FLO, ETA also was able to analyze a five branch recirculation system, giving them the ability to perform detailed "what-if" types of analysis to understand best efficient operating points for each branch.

"What we were able to do for the customer that they could NEVER do before with the spreadsheet approach, was tell them exactly what speeds they needed to run the pump at, in order to achieve flows required throughout the system", said Laws. "That tells you how much energy you are going to use for your motor, and when you are talking about multiple 1500 HP motors operating on a 24-7 basis, you’re talking about a lot of energy consumption. Using PIPE-FLO we were able to show our client how to significantly reduce their pumping costs."

"With the use of PIPE-FLO, we are able to give our client more accurate results in significantly less time, giving them the ability to evaluate more design scenarios than they otherwise would be able to do", said Laws.