Energy efficiency index for water supply systems

For pumping station the new directive 2009/125/EC introduces the concept of the necessity of a complete integration between pumps, variable frequency driver, motors and network as a strategy for the energy saving, passing from a product approach to an extended product approach (EPA). The technical commissions of Europump, the European association of pump manufacturers, are working on new standards for EU market based on this concept, and the use of new efficiency indexes accounting for the overall efficiency of pumping units under real working conditions. The reliability of this approach is the topic of a research group composed by Federico II University and several industries. Some test results performed in Caprari and Federico II labs are discussed in the paper.